60 Years in a Summer
by Isys Luna Skeeter
Summary: One night, once a year, was more than anything else Tom ever had. This is the story of how two people destined to be foes were actually destined for something else. New cover by yume-jin(.)tumblr(.)com
1. Chapter I –Serpens Lynx Black–

**Summary:** One night, once a year, was more than anything else Tom ever had. This is the story of how two people destined to be foes were actually destined for something else

**Spoilers: **with you don't know the books from HP, go read them!

**Disclaimer:** I have no right to any character, they belong to JK Rowling. The only thing that is mine is the mistakes

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **minor character death

**Nr words in this chapter: **1,255

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

Time change/date of time

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><p><strong>Chapter <strong>**I**

**–Serpens Lynx Black–**

Saturday, June 24, 1995

"It wasn't your fault. Harry," Mrs Weasley whispered.

"I told him to take the cup with me," said Harry.

Now the burning feeling was in his throat too. He wished Ron would look away. Mrs Weasley set the potion down on the bedside cabinet, bent down, and put her arms around Harry. He had no memory of ever being hugged like this, as though by a mother. The full weight of everything he had seen that night seemed to fall in upon him as Mrs Weasley held him to her. His mother's face, his father's voice, the sight of Cedric, dead on the ground all started spinning in his head until he could hardly bear it, until he was screwing up his face against the howl of misery fighting to get out of him.

There was a loud slamming noise, and Mrs Weasley and Harry broke apart. Hermione was standing by the window. She was holding something tight in her hand.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Your potion, Harry," said Mrs Weasley quickly, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.

Harry drank it in one gulp. The effect was instantaneous. Heavy, irresistible waves of dreamless sleep broke over him; he fell back onto his pillows and thought no more.

Friday, June 24, 1927

Harry woke up with a groan; everything was blurry and he couldn't quite remember where he was and what had happened.

"Is everything all right, lad?" Harry heard the voice of a young woman ask in concern.

Harry opened his eyes to see a woman dressed like a nun before him, looking at him worriedly. Harry frowned at seeing the baby bottle in her hand.

"Where am I, madam?" Harry asked in a husky voice.

"Wool's Orphanage, lad. In the nursery room."

Harry sat, noticing he was half lying on a wood chair; that wouldn't be good for his back. Next, he noticed the baby cot in the corner where a boy was sitting and looking back.

"That's Tom. He is a quiet young lad. But you'll never find a better one." The woman said proudly. "Sadly, he was born here and his family never came to take him. Nobody's ever tried to adopt him."

Harry stood on shaky legs and approached the cot. He looked at the child inside. The boy tilted his head to the side before suddenly raising his arms to Harry.

"He likes you. Tom never likes anyone."

Harry looked to the woman.

"Madam?"

The woman smiled at Harry in a motherly way and Harry was aware of a tight feeling in his chest.

"Yes lad?"

"You said I was in an orphanage? How did I get here?"

"I'm not sure myself. When I entered you were already on the chair. I suspect that Mrs Cole had brought you here as she tried to get you a room. You're a new orphan aren't you?"

Harry looked again to the boy who was still holding his arms.

"I don't know."

"Well, I'm Martha." The woman said before grabbing the baby and forcing Harry in the chair. She handed the baby to Harry. "And you, Mister, are going to feed Tom, he obviously wants you to do it."

Harry looked down to the grey eyes looking back at him and then smiled to the woman.

"As you wish, madam. Can I pick the bottle?"

Harry grabbed the bottle and, as Martha taught him, he fed young Tom in his arms. He had no idea what was going on, but knew better than to argue. Besides, he felt a connection with the boy; it was as if he was meant to meet him. Martha pulled a chair and sat before Harry, taking him in.

"What's your name?"

Harry looked up from the boy's mesmerizing grey eyes to Martha.

"Black." Harry said at once. He had no idea where he was, if he had got himself transported somewhere he couldn't let Voldemort track him down. "I'm…" 'Come on, Harry think! Black's always take constellations names! Think of stars names! What names do you kn…?'

"Serpens Lynx Black, madam." The woman's eyes grew and Harry blushed. "Family tradition. We always use constellations and star names."

Mentally, Harry wondered why those names had come to mind. Then again, Serpens was one constellation split into two halves, like the person Harry was. After all; wasn't he half Gryffindor half Slytherin? And Lynx, a feline. Lynx would balance the serpents with his Gryffindor lion's heart. The initials S.B. a reference to his beloved godfather: Sirius Black. Of course both Serpens and Lynx were constellations in the British northern sky which wouldn't change, not now, not in fifty years or even half a millennium.

The woman smiled.

"It's a fine name, don't worry. Now let me prepare you the bed around the corner." The woman said, pointing to a bed next to the cot. "All rooms are full, so we'll have to wait until tomorrow to find you a room with the other boys. I hope you won't mind sleeping here with Tom."

"Not at all, madam."

The woman smiled.

"Good, I'm going to find you some bed clothes." Martha said before standing and leaving.

Harry looked down at the child who had finished his bottle. He put the bottle next to him and looked at him in silence. There was just something about the boy that called him in, as if the boy was the reason he was there…

"There you go." Martha re-entered and prepared the old mattress by the corner. "Has he finished his bottle already? I'll have to put you on feeding time from now on, Serpens. It's always a struggle to get Tom to drink his feed."

Harry smiled and stood with Tom, laying him on the cot before laying himself on the bed. Martha tucked him in before turning the candles off and leaving the room. Harry looked to the boy on the cot as he sat there looking at him, with nothing but the moon light to let them see each other.

"Sleep Tom. It's late." Harry whispered to the other boy.

Finally, Tom closed his eyes and babbled something. Harry could have sworn it sounded like his name, or Serpens name for that matter.

Sighing Harry looked to the ceiling. He had no idea what was going on, only that little Tom needed him and that was all that mattered. The old looking room didn't matter. The old mattress on the floor that smelled like mould didn't matter. The wind that he could hear outside his window - and that the gaps in the walls and windows which made the wind seem like it was inside the nursery itself - didn't matter.

Actually, the wind sounded more like a lullaby than an actual storm. Harry smiled amused at hearing Tom babble again before his breath evened out. Even if he didn't know what was going on, it couldn't be that bad as he had met Tom, so whatever he would have to do tomorrow morning… he would make sure that he would be there for the black haired, grey eyed baby.

Eventually the sound of the wind outside, Tom's even breath and the sudden sounds that Tom made - which always brought a smile to Harry's face - lulled him into a calm sleep. No thoughts of Voldemort and Cedric or anything of what had happened the last year passed through his mind. Only the picture of baby Tom sleeping peacefully under the moon light.

(TBC)

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><p>So… what do you think?<p> 


	2. Chapter II –A Year in a Day–

**Disclaimer:** I have no right to any character, they belong to JK Rowling. The only thing that is mine is the mistakes

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **(?)

**Nr words in this chapter: **650

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter II<strong>

**–A Year in a Day–**

**Sunday, June 25, 1995**

Harry awoke in the morning to find himself in the infirmary on his bed, his glasses on his face on an odd angle hurting his nose and ear. When had he forgotten to take them off?

He wondered if Tom had been a dream, or something similar, but he didn't had much time to think about it. A few hours after he awoke, the Diggorys came for a visit.

Harry had never felt so bad with himself. Instead of blaming him, the Diggorys thanked him for returning their son's body. How messed up was that?

As the sun started to lower that day, Harry remembered last night and sat on the bed, hugging his legs. He hoped that what happened last night hadn't been a dream. That Tom was real. He wanted to see that peaceful look again. Those mesmerizing eyes. He even wanted to see the motherly Martha. When the sun finally set in the horizon his body was transported and, this time, Harry felt the pull like a portkey.

Monday, June 25, 1928

Harry looked around, only to notice that he was on the bed he had slept the night. A baby, around a year and half, was lying on the floor, flipping the pages of a book.

He was looking at the images, being too young to actually read it.

A woman entered and Harry looked at her. She stopped in her tracks.

"S-Serpens?" Martha said after a few minutes of struggle.

"Yes madam."

The woman approached and pulled him up, looking him over.

"Do you know how worried I was when I arrived the next day and didn't find you? And then Mrs Cole said that she never heard of a Serpens Black or that she hadn't accepted new kids in here and… It's been a year, where have you been?"

"I…" Harry scratched the back of his head ashamed. A year? But it had been only a day…

Surely it couldn't have passed that long. Not even last night Harry had been there, picking baby Tom up and giving him his feed. Hell, he had barely been 7 hours away, how could it be a whole year? Surely Martha was mistaken… it had to be…

"Tom, look who's back." Martha said, turning to the boy on the floor.

Harry's eyes widened and followed her eyes. No way. That was Tom?

The boy sat and looked at him. Grey eyes looking at Harry's green ones.

"Hi Tom. I'm Serpens."

Now that Harry thought about it, the baby cot was missing.

"Hi." The boy simply said in a smooth voice before standing on shaky legs. He walked to and climbed the bed.

Harry whimpered as he felt Martha tweaking his ear.

"Now Mister, I take it you won't be here in the morning." Harry shook his head. There was no better way of explaining the woman what was going on, since he didn't know it himself. "It's bed time for Tom, so you two - off to bed. And I sure hope that next year when you arrive you'll actually bring Tom some gifts. If you miss his birthday, you at least have to give it to him during the summer."

Harry blushed deep red at the woman's scolding.

"Yes, madam, I'll do my best."

The woman sighed and massaged Harry's ear before becoming him to the bed, laying Tom against his side on the wall side so he wouldn't drop. She tucked them in and kissed their foreheads. Harry looked to Martha as she left the room, taking the candle with her.

"Sewpens." Harry turned to his side so he was facing Tom and smiled at the boy. "Stowy?"

"I don't know many, do you have any you want me to tell you?" the boy shook his head and Harry tried to remember the stories his aunt used to tell Dudley. He told Tom Peter Pan's story.

When he finished Tom was sleeping with a peaceful face. Harry tucked him in and tried to memorize his face. He stayed awake all night. And when the first lights appeared, he saw Tom opening his eyes before he was pulled away.

**(TBC)**


	3. Chapter III –First Present–

**Disclaimer:** I have no right to any character, they belong to JK Rowling. The only thing that is mine is the mistakes

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **(?)

**Nr words in this chapter: **1,165

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter III<strong>

**–First Present–**

**Monday, June 26, 1995**

Harry closed his eyes in tears.

Tom had looked at him sadly as he saw him being pulled away and Harry just knew that when he returned, a year would have passed. He didn't know why he was sent there, just that he was.

It was like torture. He wanted to stay to take care of Tom. He even wanted to adopt Tom, to take the boy back with him. Tom obviously didn't remember him from when he fed him and he certainly wouldn't remember him when he returned. It was pure torture what was happening. He wanted to be part of the boy's life. They even looked alike so Harry could claim that he was some cousin he had found and…

"Mr Potter, what is wrong with your ear?" Harry opened his eyes and looked at Madam Pomfrey as the woman approached. She forced him to sit, so that she could look at where Martha had pulled his ear.

Harry felt warm in his chest. That meant Martha was real… which meant Tom was real, not just a memory.

He smiled sheepishly at the stern woman.

"Heavy dream?" he asked, trying to pass himself as an innocent boy.

He might only see Tom again when the boy would have two years old. But he would return to Tom.

The woman shook her head.

"Next time, call me instead of pulling your own ears off."

Harry nodded and the woman left.

"Dobby." Harry whispered and the chipper house elf appeared. "Dobby, I need you to do me a favour." The house elf nodded eagerly. "If I give you money, you can buy things for me, right?"

"House elves can buy things in the name of their masters if so needed." Dobby said smartly.

Harry smiled.

"I want you to go to my trunk and pick up my coin purse." The house elf snapped his fingers and the aforementioned purse appeared in the house elf's hand. That was quick. "I need you to go to a toy shop and buy a plush. Preferably, a snake with green eyes. Which doesn't move or do anything magic like."

"Dobby knows a magic toy's shop with muggle toys." Dobby said eagerly.

"Good. Tell the store to wrap the plush."

"Dobby will do that for Harry Potter sir." The house elf said before popping away.

That afternoon Harry was discharged and he went to the Gryffindor dormitories. He didn't speak with anyone, not even Ron and Hermione. He sat on his bed with Tom's present in his lap and waited for the sun to set.

He knew that it wasn't healthy to cling to the boy like this after watching someone die but… the boy needed him.

**Wednesday, June 26, 1929**

This time when Harry appeared he was in a different room. Tom was on the bed against the wall sitting as if waiting for something and, when Harry appeared and looked to the boy, he tilted his head to the side.

"Awe you Sewpens?" the boy asked.

Harry smiled. They boy might have grown, but those eyes and dark hair were unforgettable.

"Hi Tom. Nice to see you again."

"Mawtha said you 'ould came." The boy said. "Said last two times you came it was on the last two dates, so it had to be today. One year and a day, she said."

"I'm here Tom."

The boy nodded and looked to the wrapping on Harry's lap.

"What is that?" the boy asked.

Harry smiled and was going to lift it when the door to the bedroom opened. Harry looked and smiled at seeing Martha.

"I thought I heard voices. Welcome back Mr Black. Nice seeing you again."

"Nice seeing you too, madam."

The woman approached and looked Harry over.

"Impressive. You don't look a day older than the last time."

Harry smiled and shrugged, before showing her the present.

"I bought it." he said instead, so she would let the subject drop.

If the woman understood his attempt at a subject change, she didn't show it. She looked at the present and smiled.

"Well Tom, what do we say?"

"Thank you, siw."

Harry smiled and gave him the present. He watched as the boy unwrapped it. Martha forced Harry on his feet and started to look him over, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Harry let her, while watching Tom stare at his new plush. Harry would have to thank Dobby big time for his hard work. Maybe even give him one of uncle Vernon's socks.

"A snake." The boy said as he played with it.

"So you won't forget me." Harry said with a smile. He showed the snake green eyes which looked exactly like his own. Harry wondered how much Dobby had to work to find the right green. "Green eyes like mine and a serpent like my name. This way, even when I'm away, I'll always be with you."

The boy's eyes grew and he pulled the snake tighter to his chest. Harry smiled and turned to Martha. The woman pulled him to the corner next to the door and touched Harry's ear.

"I don't know how you managed to enter the room. And why you only appear a year and a day after each visit. But you haven't aged a day and your ear is still red where I squeezed it." Harry tried to speak but the woman shook her head. "I don't want to hear any lies you might think off. I can see that you care about Tom and that you won't hurt him. I could see it on the first day you arrived. I suppose you can't control this… whatever it is happening."

"I'm afraid not madam. Or I would've stayed or even brought Tom with me."

The woman nodded, as if she suspected it herself.

"Tom is a smart boy. He will see it as well, with time." Harry nodded solemnly. "Well, I'm sure God has His reasons for doing this. Tom needs you and you obviously need Tom back, so I hope it will all go well."

Harry bowed his head and Martha kissed his forehead before leaving. Harry turned to Tom.

"Wanna hear a bedtime story?" Tom looked up from his plush snake and nodded. "Peter Pan again? Or do you have any book in here that I can read?"

"Petew."

"Okay then, big boy. Peter Pan it is." Harry approached and laid Tom on the bed, lying next to him with Tom on his chest. He started to tell him the story again.

Harry didn't mind retelling the story. For him it might've been yesterday, but to Tom it had been a whole year ago. Harry fell asleep with Tom on his chest.

"Sewpens?" Harry opened his eyes sleepily, looking at Tom looking back.

Harry looked out the window to realize the sun was almost rising. Harry kissed Tom's forehead.

"I'll be here next year." Harry promised and Tom nodded, not arguing.

**(TBC)**


	4. Chapter IV –Torture–

**Disclaimer:** I have no right to any character, they belong to JK Rowling. The only thing that is mine is the mistakes

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **

**Nr words in this chapter: **394

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter IV<strong>

**–Torture–**

**Tuesday, June 27, 1995**

Harry returned to classes that day. It was tiring considering the lack of sleep he had, but fortunately he had the afternoon off. As he didn't have any more classes, Harry took the afternoon to sleep. He couldn't wait to return to Tom that night. Would the boy remember him this time?

**Friday, June 27, 1930**

Tom was sick when Harry arrived and so Harry stayed all night, changing the wet rag on Tom's forehead to try to make his fever go down. The boy didn't show any sign of knowing Harry that night but he also didn't show any sign of knowing Martha either. The woman had smiled sadly at Harry when he arrived and had told him that Tom had been like this for a while. Harry wished that he could do more than just trade Tom's wet rag, but without any medication there was nothing he could do.

"Serpens?" Harry looked at Martha as the woman re-entered the room to change the water. "I promise you that I won't let him die when you leave."

Harry looked at Tom's weak body and put his face in his arms. He started to cry. Harry had never felt so helpless. Watching his Tom like this was plain torture. He wanted to bring the boy with him to Madam Pomfrey but he couldn't and that hurt him more than anything else.

Seeing Tom only once a year and for only one night was torture because Tom was growing up. He could die during that year and there was nothing Harry could do.

After a few hours, Harry felt a hand touch his hair. Harry raised his head from his arms on the bed to see Tom look at him feebly.

"You're Serpens." The boy said huskily.

"Hello Tom." Harry answered back, grabbing his hand and pulling it to his cheek.

The boy smiled weakly.

"Mawtha said you'd come."

"I'm here. And when I return you better be all right. Do you understand?"

Tom nodded.

"Snake." The boy said, pointing to the closet by the corner of the door.

Harry stood, dropping the hand and went to pick the plush from inside the closet. He returned, giving the boy his plush.

The boy smiled and hugged the plush to his chest before Harry was pulled away. Harry never felt so weak.

(TBC)


	5. Chapter V –Baby-Sitter–

**Disclaimer:** I have no right to any character, they belong to JK Rowling. The only thing that is mine is the mistakes

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **

**Nr words in this chapter: **1,090

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter V<strong>

**–Baby-Sitter–**

**Wednesday, June 28, 1995**

First thing in the morning, Harry went to the infirmary and asked the woman questions about fever and 3-year-old boys. He needed to make sure Tom would survive.

"Calm down Mr Potter. As far as I see this friend of yours is passing by a magic fever. It's completely normal. No one has ever died of magic fever, ever."

"What does magic fever means?" Harry asked, biting the bottom of his lips.

Madam Pomfrey took one good look at Harry and then pulled him to her office giving him a cup of tea.

"In the first year of life, every magical child has magic fever. No one has ever died of it. Not even if they hadn't had any way of treating the fever. The fever comes for a whole week and then goes. It means that your magic is growing stronger and your body needs to get used to it. There is nothing that can accelerate the cure as the fever is needed so the body can get used to the magic. Even squibs have magic fevers, although they don't have magic at the end. Some people say that a squib's body doesn't get accustomed to their magic during the fever and that's the reason they become squibs."

Harry nodded, looking at the tea in his hands.

"This friend of yours. He'll be all right."

"I…" Harry bit the bottom of his lip and then looked to the woman. "What I tell you will stay between us, right?"

Madam Pomfrey frowned but nodded. Harry took a deep breath and told the stern woman about Tom and Martha and the night travels. Madam Pomfrey stayed in silence for a few minutes after Harry finished, taking everything in.

"Time travel… you're doing time travel?"

"I guess… but I can't control it!"

Madam Pomfrey stood and approached the shelf on the wall and started to take a few potions flasks from there.

"When you return tonight your friend will be 4… he lives in the muggle world, right?"

"Martha said God, so I believe so."

Madam Pomfrey nodded to herself and started to take various potions from the shelf, putting them on a box.

"Your friend will need a few potions. If you could contact Gringotts while you are in the past so young Tom can be taken care of… I mean, he at least needs a house elf to take care of him and give him the right potions and protect him and…"

"Madam Pomfrey?" the woman looked at Harry. "Do you think I can manage to bring a house elf with me?"

The woman frowned in thought.

"You can try. There are no promises though. You can't bring Tom with you here, but maybe you can bring a house elf with you to the past. Who would you bring with you?"

"Winky. As long as she accepts and is sober. I mean, I can't have a drunken house elf taking care of Tom, can I?"

Madam Pomfrey nodded and called said house elf. Harry listened on as Madam Pomfrey proposed to the female house elf a hypothesis of taking care of a magical child who lived in the muggle world and needed her help. The house elf was more than eager and, while Harry went to the Gryffindor common room so people wouldn't ask why he was back in the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey spent the day telling Winky what to do along the years.

That afternoon, right after dinner, Winky appeared before Harry and gave him her hand. They were both pulled.

**Sunday, June 28, 1931**

Harry appeared by the door of the bedroom. Tom was again on the bed, this time looking at some book. The boy looked up when he heard the sound of someone falling on the ground (Harry had yet to get used to the time-travel portkeys) and his eyes grew at the sight of Harry.

"Serpens?" the boy asked.

Harry smiled and nodded, standing.

"Hi Tom."

Tom closed his book, putting it on the bedside table and looked Harry over.

"Who is that?" the boy finally asked pointing to Winky.

"This is Winky. I brought her with me so she can take care of you when I can't."

The boy looked at the house elf in an admiring way and then nodded.

"Odd name."

"Winky's a house elf, master. House elves have odd names."

Harry rolled his eyes and approached Tom, feeling his forehead. The boy tensed but when he noticed what Harry was doing he relaxed.

"I'm not with fever anymore." The boy argued.

"I know." Harry mumbled and kneeled before the bed looking to the boy. "But I was worried."

"Then why don't you stay more than one night a year?"

Harry smiled sadly.

"I don't know. It's not something I can control." Harry answered. "But as long as I live, I'll always worry about you. Even if it is only one night a year."

The boy frowned but nodded, accepting the answer. Harry saw Winky starting to clean the room but didn't stop her. Honestly, the boy's room was in serial need of a spring cleaning.

"You didn't tell me a story last year." Harry looked at Tom surprised. "Martha said you always read me a story, but last year I was too weak."

Harry smiled.

"Want the usual Peter Pan? Or do you have a book for me to read?"

"I don't know Peter Pan."

"Well that's the only story I know from memory. You used to like it when I read it to you."

Tom nodded and stood, changing clothes to his pjs. He sat on the bed, making space so Harry would join him, and waited for his bedtime story. Harry laid on the bed with Tom by his side, Winky disappearing inside the closet, and started to tell him the story. Tom was a good listener; never once interrupting him during his tale and when Harry finished the boy leaned his head on the pillow and stayed looking at Harry in the dark.

"So Peter was immortal?"

Harry nodded.

"Living in Neverland meant being immortal."

The boy smiled.

"Are you Peter?" Harry frowned confused. "You never age. You enter my room without entering by the front door and…"

Harry snickered.

"I wish I was Peter, Tom. Then I would take you with me to Neverland."

"When are you leaving?"

"When the sun rises."

"When will you return?"

"When the sun sets."

The boy nodded and lowered his head on Harry's shoulder, closing his eyes.

**(TBC)**

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><p>Was reading my beta comments to the part about Harry being Peter… According to her Harry needs to start looking for his shadow and Tom should be dressed as Wendy… Sorry Budchick, but I had to share this out. *blush*<p> 


	6. Chapter VI –Older Brother–

**Disclaimer:** I have no right to any character, they belong to JK Rowling. The only thing that is mine is the mistakes

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter:**

**Nr words in this chapter: **1,600

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VI<strong>

**–Older Brother–**

**Thursday, June 29, 1995**

Harry awoke alone on his own bed. He called Winky several times but she didn't show up and that relaxed him. It meant that she had stayed with Tom.

Harry spent the day packing up. When Ron said that he had to go to the Dursleys he had half the mind to run, but knew better than that. Besides, he had to be a good example for Tom now. Harry knew he must have seemed like a lunatic, smiling for no apparent reason.

He suspected that he was kind of Tom's older brother now.

**Wednesday, June 29, 1932**

When Harry arrived Tom was ready this time and, when Harry fell, he helped him to the bed.

"Maybe you should try being seated when you are transported?" the boy asked amused.

"I wasn't ready yet." Harry groaned. "I was going to the kitchens to fetch some food. I don't know if you are given enough and I passed dinner so I thought… well…" Harry shrugged.

Tom turned his head to the closet.

"Winky." The house elf put her head out the closet. "Would you bring us some food? This moron forgot to have dinner."

Harry glared at Tom as the female house elf's eyes grew. She popped away.

"Great. Now she's going to make a feast," Harry groaned.

"You look enough skinny as it is," the young boy said.

Harry looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you talking about, midget?"

Tom huffed.

"I'm a growing boy. I'm taller than any other boys my age." The boy said trying to make himself looking taller.

Harry smiled, amused and pulled him to his lap. Tom's eyes grew and he became tense but Harry didn't let him go, putting his face in the boy's hair.

"You'll always be my baby Tom."

Tom groaned.

"I'm not a baby anymore, Serpens."

Harry smiled sadly.

"I know this is going to sound odd, considering I only see you one day a year, but you grow so fast…"

Tom laughed, it was the first laugh Harry saw him releasing and it was so nice and… Harry wanted to see him doing it again.

"You don't ever need to become tense with me, Tom. I won't ever hurt you."

"You aren't here either."

Harry sighed.

"Tom I…"

The boy moved so he would be sitting with his legs to the side and turned to Harry.

"You weren't here when they picked on me. You weren't here when Mrs Cole raised her hand. You weren't here when…"

Harry pulled the boy to his chest hugging him tight.

"I'm sorry… I wish I could control this. I really do. I would stay with you or bring you with me. My life is not easy but I would find a way to protect you and…"

Tom took his face from Harry's chest looking at him.

"Once a year. You'll protect me one night every year. Winky protects me the rest of the year. But who protects you?"

Harry smiled weakly and stood, kissing Tom's face and putting him back on the bed.

"I'll be right back." Harry left the bedroom and looked around in silence until he found Martha. She was scolding some boy for being out the room after hours and Harry waited by the side as she scolded the boy. When the boy finally disappeared, Harry approached. Martha turned, ready to scold again, when she noticed who he was. "Hi Martha."

The woman smiled.

"Nice seeing you again, Mr Black. What brings you here? Is Tom all right?"

"Can I talk to you where people won't see me?" Harry looked around. "I mean it would bring up questions about who am I and… we both know I can't answer them."

The woman nodded and pulled him to one of the rooms. It happened to be the nursery Harry had appeared on in the first day.

"It is about Tom, isn't it?" the woman asked, knowingly.

Harry nodded.

"He mentioned that some other boys had blamed him for things that they'd done and that Mrs Cole, I think that was the name, had raised her hand at him."

Martha frowned, sitting on the rocking chair as Harry sat on the bed.

"He didn't enter into any details, did he?"

"He barely knows me. He's most likely as scared of me as he is of the other people in this orphanage."

"I can't promise to be always there, but I'll keep my eyes open."

"Thank you, madam." Harry said, bowing his head.

"I saw that… dwarf you brought Tom last year." Harry looked at the woman blushing. "She is a nice fellow. Helps me in the kitchen and she's always taking care of Tom. I'll ask her to take an eye on Tom when I can't. And to come to me at once if she see the other boys picking on Tom."

Harry smiled.

"Thank you madam."

"Now run along. I'm sure Tom is worried sick about where you are. After all, you only have one night a year."

Harry smiled sadly at that reminder and stood, going to Tom who was sitting by the desk where Winky had prepared their feast. Harry approached and sat by his side, on a chair Winky made appear for him.

"Thank you Winky."

"You welcome, master Serpens Black sir."

Harry took a hand to his pocket and fingered his own coin purse in silence. It didn't have much money, but he was sure Winky would know how to make it work. Harry threw the coin purse to the house elf, who grabbed it.

"It's not much, but hopefully it will be enough for now."

The house elf looked at the inside of the purse and then nodded.

"Winky will use it well."

"Good. I want wards around the room so the other orphans can't steal Tom's things and any other things you might think of. You can do wards, can't you?"

"Winky can do simple wards. But muggles can't break them."

Harry smiled at the house elf which made its chest increase proudly.

"I also want you to start tutoring Tom about our world, like you must have taught your old master. I won't be able to do it and I'm sure you're more than capable."

If it was possible, the house elf's eyes grew even bigger and became red. Harry feared he would hear a crying fit like Dobby used to do.

"Winky will do that." The house elf said before popping away.

Harry turned to Tom and they both heard muffled hiccups from the closet.

"Great. You made her cry now." The boy hissed.

"That's because she's not used to be treated like an equal. If you start treating her like an equal, she'll stop acting like that." Harry reprimanded.

Harry filled two plates for the both of them and, as he was going to give Tom his plate, he noticed the boy gaping at him.

"What did I say?"

"You… you raised your voice at me…"

Harry frowned, confused.

"I did…" Harry conceded, wondering what was going on.

"You never raise your voice."

"I raise my voice when it is needed, Tom." Harry said with a sad look. "You need to understand. Winky's job may be to take care of you, but if she doesn't like you there's a chance of her turning against you. I helped a house elf once to be released from his family. Actually I think that I also helped Winky to be released from her family, but she liked her family…" Harry added the last part thoughtfully before shrugging it off.

Harry helped Tom grab the cutlery as it should be and the two ate their meal. As they were about to go to bed, Harry saw Tom looking at him as if afraid. Harry sent him a confused look.

"Are you mad at me?" the boy asked. Harry stopped in his tracks as he opened the bed and laid the plush on the floor. "I mean, you must be mad for the way I treat Winky and…"

"I don't think I'll ever manage to get to be mad with you, Tom. As much as you need me I need you. You're my safe ground. I just saw a person die in front of me a few days ago. That was the first night I was sent here. I don't know why, I just know that you keep the nightmares away and that I need you to keep my mind together. I love you Tom. And I don't think that a little spat over how you treat a house elf will change that."

Tom smiled, ran to Harry and hugged him.

"Promise?"

Harry pulled the boy onto his lap.

"I'm here for you, Tom. As long as you want me."

Tom had the most gorgeous smile and Harry found himself smiling back.

"Bedtime story?" the boy asked.

Harry chuckled and put the boy down.

"Peter Pan again, midget?" he asked and the boy shook his head.

The boy ran to his closet and looked for a book in there. He returned and gave it to Harry. Harry looked at the title and then towards Tom, amused.

"It's a book this time," the boy taunted.

Harry chuckled and sat on the bed against the headboard with Tom sitting next to him. His head was on Harry's shoulder, looking at the book. It was an old book of Peter Pan; there were no drawings in it. Harry promised himself that he would buy Tom some children's books from his own time.

**(TBC)**


	7. Chapter VII –Black Family–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **adoption

**Nr words in this chapter: **2,914

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VII<strong>

**–Black Family–**

**Friday, June 30, 1995**

Before the sun could take Harry away, he stood, put the plush snake in his place and tucked Tom in. When he was taken to his time, Harry immediately went to the kitchens and told Dobby what he wanted him to do; go to Gringotts, take some money from his own vault and go to a book shop to buy various children's books.

Harry caught the train home with Ron and Hermione but didn't exactly talk with them. They kept trying to bring him into their conversations but Harry wasn't exactly listening. Tom would be 6 when he arrived. He was aging too fast. Tom was right, of course. Harry wasn't there for him. Tom was there for Harry but Harry wasn't there for him.

Harry looked through the coin purse with the 50 galleons and wondered what to do with it. He could give it to Tom, open a vault in his name and…

Dobby appeared before Harry and gave him a piece of parchment. Harry saw Ron and Hermione stop talking to look at him, confused. Harry turned the parchment over and read it.

_Mr H. Potter_

_It has come to our attention that you are the person going by the name of Serpens Lynx Black. We hope that you will give this letter to your house elf Winky to deliver in person to me. A vault will be opened under your name._

_If a Black dares to question your identity, they'll be told that you're an illegitimate heir and none of them will make further enquires. Money will be passed from the Black family vault to your personal vault every month, as it is done with the rest of the family. No one will ask why as you are a family member that they do not wish to acknowledge and it will be better to give you the money you need to survive than to let you go to the media with the news._

_Only Serpens Lynx Black, Harry James Potter and Tom Marvolo Riddle will be able to move the money in Serpens Lynx Black0s personal vault. The house elves Winky and Dobby will be able to move the money as long as they are acting on orders from these one of these three humans._

_The Black and Potter family accounts manager_

_Griphook_

Harry looked at the parchment in silence before tucking it into his pocket. He turned to Dobby again. The house elf made a small box appear and he gave this to Harry who smiled, before also storing it in his pocket.

"Thank you, Dobby."

The house elf nodded eagerly and left. Harry returned to looking out the window. Hermione was taking, but he didn't hear or understand a single thing she was saying. Tom Marvolo Riddle… that was the name written on the letter. His Tom was Voldemort!

How ironic was it that his baby brother would turn out to be the next Dark Lord! Harry had seen the boy and could understand why he might have become a Dark Lord but… his baby boy was Voldemort! How could he face the poor boy without freaking out?

"Harry!" Harry looked at Hermione with a startle. The girl frowned. "I've been calling your name for half an hour. What's wrong?"

Harry shook his head and stood, leaving the compartment. He saw Hermione made a move to follow him but Ron stopped her, shaking his head. Harry went down the train until he found Fred and George. He gave the twins the coin purse and forced them to take it.

"I don't need it. You need it for your shop. If someone asks you how you got it, you can tell them that it was Serpens Black who gave it to you." The two opened their mouths to argue. Harry grabbed his wand and pointed it at them. "Or you take it or I'll toss it in the trash."

"It's 50 galleons, Harry… it's a lot of money."

Harry nodded.

"I know. But I don't need it… Just buy Ron a new dress robe. His own is in need of a repair."

The two looked at the money and then to Harry nodding. Harry turned to leave when he felt two hands on his shoulders, pulling him back into their chests.

"Are you going to explain who is this 'Serpens'?"

Harry looked at the two, amused at the way they spoke at the same time.

"Your sponsor." Harry answered, still amused, before freeing himself and leaving. The two boys' pouty groans followed after him.

The train arrived in London not much later and Harry went to his uncles' car. He hoped that he would arrive in Surrey in time. If he disappeared during the car ride, he would have an awkward conversation the next day. As soon as he arrived, Harry grabbed the trunk and went upstairs. As he released the trunk, he was pulled away.

**Friday, June 30, 1933**

Harry felt a hand being offered to him. When he looked up, he found a six-year-old Tom smiling back at him and holding out his hand. Harry blushed, grabbed it and stood up.

"I thought we agreed on you travelling while sitting?" the boy teased.

Harry passed a hand through his hair, ashamed.

"I barely had time to escape my uncle. Do you really think I had time to sit?"

"Escape your uncle?"

"Muggle." Harry answered before moving to the bed. "I just got home today. It will be hard to hide why I disappear every night though. At Hogwarts, I can close the curtains and no one will ask about it. But… at my uncles…"

Tom stood before Harry looking at him in the eyes.

"Are they like us?" Harry shook his head. "So they're like Martha and the other orphans?"

"Yes Tom."

Tom nodded.

"When I grow up, I'll take you out of there." The boy promised. "When I grow up, I'll make it so that people like us don't have to live with people like them!"

Harry felt his eyes water. He pulled Tom to his chest and hugged him.

Oh Merlin… his baby brother was Voldemort! What on Merlin's Earth was he going to do?

"Serpens?" Harry hummed. "Your stomach is grumbling."

Harry blushed.

"I…"

Tom rolled his eyes and turned to the closet. Before he could speak, the house elf appeared and Harry's eyes grew. The house elf that was once dressed with a blue skirt, blouse and hat was now no more. Now she was dressed in the orphanage's grey outfit, shrunk to her own size. It was probably a donation from one of the female orphans.

"Winky will bring food for master Serpens Black, sir." The house elf said before disappearing.

Harry looked at Tom.

"I told her to get a new wardrobe."

Harry nodded.

"What about drinking? Is she ever drunk?"

The boy shook his head.

"Not since she got here."

Harry sighed, calm again. That had been what Winky had needed after all. A family, not Hogwarts. Harry looked at Tom in the eyes, and noticed that he could see 16-year-old Tom Riddle in this 6-year-old Tom. Harry sighed. It was true then. His Tom was Voldemort.

Harry took the package Dobby had given him and enlarged it, giving to Tom. Tom smiled and immediately opened it.

"You don't need to buy me things every time you come here, you know?"

Harry smiled at Tom as the boy looked back at him with the books against his chest, hugging them as if for dear life.

"It might be a year for me. But it's only a day for you. You don't have enough money to buy me gifts every single day. People would start to ask questions if they saw you buying gifts every single day."

Harry picked up the letter and looked at it in silence.

"That's why I'm opening a vault now. As soon as Winky gives this to the Black account manager he will open a vault in my name. The Black family will think that I'm an illegitimate heir and they'll pay to keep me quiet. You will have the money you need and no one in the future will ask questions about the amount of money I spend on you."

Tom's eyes widened, looking at the letter in silence and then smiled at Harry, nodding.

"Thank you, Serpens." He said before laying the books on the bed next to Harry to look them over.

"I don't know what kind of books you like. So I took a little bit of everything and with Winky here, I don't have to be careful with the kind of books I give you. She'll ward it so that no one will see the pictures on the front of the book move. I don't know how the books look like in this time but…"

Tom smiled at Harry.

"I love it. I can't wait to be able to read them myself."

Harry smiled back and Winky appeared with the meal. Harry offered her the letter.

"Give this to Griphook personally. Don't let anyone else see it." Harry warned her. She nodded happily before disappearing. Harry turned to Tom. "She's happier."

Harry noticed Tom had served him a plate as he spoke to Winky and smiled at the boy, picking it up and starting to eat.

"How long in the future? How long do I have to wait for you? Am I alive? Will I meet you? How old am I then?"

"A pretty long time. You are alive. You will meet me. And I don't know the year you were born, so I don't know your age."

The boy hummed, sitting beside Harry.

"I'll have to wait a long time for you then."

Harry looked at Tom pensively.

"First you'll have to wait for the muggles to get electricity. Then you'll have to wait for the end of Second Wizard War. Only then may you find me."

The boy nodded happily.

"You said wizard… we really are magic, aren't we?"

Harry smiled, nodding.

"Yes, baby brother, we are."

Tom scowled at the nickname but his eagerness for knowing more kept him from retorting. Winky appeared before Tom could ask for more information and gave Harry a new letter. Harry lowered the plate on his legs and opened the letter.

_Mr S. L. Black_

_My Name is Sirius Black, the Second, and I am the Lord of the Black family. I've just been informed of your existence by Griphook; the Black's account manager. Griphook has also informed me of your decision of to stay in the dark and out of the family's sight. I see it as your right to do so, but if you are ever in need of something you can ask me for help. You may contact me through Griphook or through your personal house elf. Although I would like to know which of my sons, brothers or cousins dared to beget a son out of wedlock, I completely understand your desire to not let your father know of your existence._

_50 galleons a month will be added to your personal vault as soon as the formalities with Gringotts are finished. I believe that if I try to find you, Serpens won't be the name your mother gave you and you'll have another man who you call father. Griphook also mentioned that you have a family; a young wizard at that. The vault will also be available to your brother. What I have offered you is also available to your brother. You both can turn to me when you are in need of help. To us Blacks, family always comes first. This applies even if the family in question is a halfblood and a muggleborn._

_Hoping to hear from you again._

_Lord Black_

_Sirius Alphard Black, II_

Harry looked at the parchment, biting the bottom of his lips.

"What is it?"

"The Lord of my family in this time contacted me. He doesn't know I'm from another time, but he knows that I 'exist' and that I have a brother and… he said I could turn to him for help."

Tom's eyes grew.

"What will happen if you tell him? About me and about the future?"

"I…" Harry looked at Winky who tilted her head to the side. "Find me parchment and a quill and if you can't, please then find me paper and a pen."

The house elf nodded and popped away. Harry picked the plate and stood putting it down on the desk.

"You think he'll adopt me?"

Harry looked at Tom.

"Even if he doesn't adopt you, he will at least look over you."

The boy nodded. When the house elf popped in with the parchment, quill and ink bottle, Harry started to write a letter to Lord Black, telling him where to find Serpens' younger brother. When he finished Harry gave the house elf the parchment. Winky popped away.

Tom approached Harry and sat on his lap, on the side. He gave Harry a hug and laid his chin in the crook of Harry's neck.

"He won't come tonight, will he?"

"I don't know, Tom." Harry answered, petting Tom's hair. "I don't know."

Later on, the two went to bed and Harry read Tom one of the new stories before letting Tom fall asleep against his chest. As Tom slept, Harry heard movement outside and not long later, Martha opened the door. A man in his middle-fifties entered. The man looked at Harry on the bed and then to the boy sleeping on Harry's chest. He bowed his head to Martha who nodded back and closed the door. The old man approached and sat on the chair before the bed.

"Serpens Black, I presume?" the man asked quietly. At Harry's nod the man added. "I am Lord Black. We spoke through letters earlier."

"I know sir." Harry mumbled, looking at Tom to make sure he was still asleep.

"Your house elf was quite insistent that I had to come today or I would miss you. It didn't explain why, though."

Harry sat, laying Tom's head on his legs. After he made sure the boy was asleep, Harry turned to the man.

"Winky is a good house elf. She was told not to explain anything and so she stayed quiet." Harry looked at Tom, just to make sure. "I'm from the future and only return one night a year."

Lord Black hummed.

"It is something you can control or…" Harry shook his head. "And it always takes you to him."

"Yes sir. Witch mother, muggle father. Lived here his whole life. I don't know why I keep returning, but he is everything to me. I want to protect him every single moment. It's complete torture to return to my time because I know I'll return to a year-older Tom - who might not even be alive by then."

Lord Black looked at Tom in thought.

"His family? Mother's side."

"His mother died giving birth to him…" Harry frowned, remembering he almost didn't know anything about Tom. "He is a Parselmouth if that helps?"

Lord Black smiled.

"It helps. I'll go talk with Griphook and hopefully by next year young Tom will be living at Black Manor. When is you next visit? How long do you stay?"

"A year and a day after this one, from sunset until sunrise."

"Today is the 30th of June. Next year you visit will be on the 1st of July."

"Supposedly." Harry answered.

"Were you raised by your Black father?" the man asked, Harry blushed and shook his head.

"I was brought up by muggles. Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban when I was a mere baby." Harry answered, not admitting that Sirius was his father nor saying that he wasn't.

"Mother?"

"Dead."

"How much does Tom knows?"

"He knows I'm from the future. He doesn't know from when. I didn't tell him about my mother and father."

"Are you changing the future by coming here?"

"I don't think I am. Otherwise things would have already started to change."

The Black Lord nodded and stood.

"Next time I want an exact date so I can organise a letter to send to my future heir." Harry nodded. "I'll also adopt Tom. He will be educated. He'll have the best tutors in town."

Harry smiled. As the man was about to leave Harry spoke.

"Why are you taking him in? People will ask questions."

Lord Black turned and looked at Harry.

"I'll tell them that I'm adopting the heir of Slytherin house. That will stop anyone who dares to speak up. If my sons, nephews and cousins dare to speak further I'll tell them that he is also your half-brother from the mother's side and by doing so, acknowledge that he's the brother of one of their illegitimate heirs. That will make them shut up. They won't dare to speak to me for a while. They might even try to determine how they managed to get involved with a Gaunt." The man said amused, before bowing his head and leaving.

Harry looked down at Tom who was looking back.

"How long were you awake?"

"Since he asked you about the changing future thing." The boy mumbled.

Harry bent down and hugged Tom to his chest.

"That was Lord Sirius Black. He will take you in, hopefully."

Tom nodded with a smile and leaned his head against Harry's chest.

** (TBC)**

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><p>poll on my livejournal, link on my profile<p> 


	8. Chapter VIII –Taking Care Of–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: -**

**Warnings in this chapter: **child abuse

**Nr words in this chapter: **935

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter VIII<strong>

**–Taking Care Of–**

**Saturday, July 1, 1995**

Harry woke the next day, feeling tired. He was hoping that Lord Black would adopt his Tom. Even if that would make his Tom a Dark Lord, he was still his Tom, no matter what. Damn it… his baby brother was the future Dark Lord!

Now what? He had learnt to like that cute little boy! And, at the same time, he knew Tom was going to kill his parents! Couldn't his life be easy for once?

Of course, things could only grow worse. His uncle had to remember that Harry existed early that morning. He stormed into the bedroom and yelled about Harry's running away the night before. He ranted about how ungrateful Harry was and how he deserved nothing that had been given to him. That he took everything for granted and that Vernon should have drowned him when Harry was still a baby.

Harry was barely awake throughout the rant; after all he had spent most of the night awake with Tom. But when his uncle raised his hand, suddenly something clicked in Harry's mind and he tried to run.

But it was too late.

**Sunday, July 1, 1934**

Harry woke up to seeing Tom kneeling before him on the floor, frowning.

"What happened to you?"

Harry shook his head, sitting himself and looked at Tom, checking him over. He was better dressed and better fed but he couldn't be sure and…

"Serpens! I'm fine. What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing, don't worry." Harry easily said as he looked Tom over.

Tom looked fine actually…

Tom raised an eyebrow at Harry and then looked to the side.

"Winky!" the house elf popped in. "Tell Lord Sirius that I need his presence immediately." The female house elf nodded and popped away. Tom looked again to Harry whose body was trembling like mad. "Don't worry? How can I not worry? You look awful!"

Harry pulled Tom to him and hugged him.

"I'm sorry." Harry mumbled into the boy's hair and the boy visibly relaxed.

Harry looked around feebly and realized they weren't at the orphanage anymore. Actually, they looked like they were in a pureblood house. The bedroom was in tones of light green and silver and there were shelves upon shelves on the wall filled with books, as well as one big bed for two. Harry was wondering why Tom needed such a big bed for himself when the wood door opened. Harry looked to the door to see Lord Sirius entering. The man took one good look at Harry and took his wand out.

"I'm no expert in healing but it will have to do." The man said as a way of saying hello.

Harry released Tom and Lord Sirius moved Harry with his magic to the bed. Harry looked at Tom as Lord Sirius started to work only to realize that he had dirtied his clothes.

"I'm sorry…" Harry sighed, trying to clean the blood out of Tom's clothes.

Tom stopped Harry's hands. He took off his robe and traded it for another one.

"I'm fine Serpens. Now stay still." The boy said, grabbing Harry's hands and placing them into his smaller ones.

Harry must have fallen asleep midway through the healing process. Suddenly Tom wasn't sitting next to him but by a desk, next to Lord Sirius.

"They hurt him… his muggle family hurt him!" Harry heard Tom comment in barely contained anger.

"Calm down Tom. Serpens needs you now."

"He needs my other self. Where am I? Why am I letting Serpens be like this? Why…?"

"Because you don't know where to find him. Serpens is hiding that from you to keep the time travel disturbance from happening."

Harry was sure he could feel Tom's eyes on him.

"How long do house elves last?"

"Centuries. What are you thinking about, Tom?"

"I can order Winky to go pick him up and bring him to where he will be well taken care off, can't I? Tomorrow… if she'll pick Serpens up tomorrow during the day it won't be a problem, will it? I won't be changing anything. It has already passed and…"

"Do you know the exact year for Winky to do this?"

There was a silence as Tom thought.

"I don't… but Winky does. Serpens brought her with him from the future after a year where I was ill. He was too worried to leave me for another year without making sure I would be alive when he would return… she won't tell me when he's from. But maybe she can… you know…"

When Harry woke again Tom was laying on the bed next to him, on his side looking at him. Seeing Tom that worried about him made Harry sigh. Any memory of what had happened while he was awake before slipped from his mind.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this." Harry said huskily. His throat was too scratched to let him talk as he should.

"Was it your Uncles? The muggles you live with?"

Harry closed his eyes and leaned into Tom. His body arched in pain but he didn't care.

"It doesn't matter… I'm your big brother. I should be the one taking care of you. I should be the one buying you all these fancy clothes. I…"

"And as your younger brother I should protect you from those muggles!"

Harry pulled Tom harder against his chest, hugging him tighter.

"I love you, Tom… no matter who you are. I love you!"

Harry heard a sob and Tom grabbed Harry's front clothes tighter as he cried into Harry's chest.

**(TBC)**

* * *

><p>Ps: If you want to keep updated on my fanfics or just talk to me or give me suggestions: <strong>www(doc)facebook(doc)comIsysSkeeterFanfiction  
><strong>


	9. Chapter IX –Adoptions & Vows–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **

**Nr words in this chapter: **4,069

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter IX<strong>

**–Adoptions & Vows–**

**Sunday, July 2, 1995**

Harry awoke in his own bed at Privet Drive, alone. His body was still hurting all over.

He missed Tom already. He had known the boy for 7 days… or years, depending on your perspective, and he knew that he would never be able to raise his wand or hand against Tom or Voldemort. Voldemort was his Tom and even if the man would grow/grew to became/become a mass murderer who killed/would kill Harry's parents… he still was and always would be Harry's baby brother.

Harry looked up from his pillow to the door. I was hard to see anything without his glasses. Someone had just entered and Harry was sure from all the green and lack of mass that it wasn't Uncle Vernon.

"Interesting." Harry frowned trying to place that voice. "When a chipper house elf popped before me today, a house elf that I had not seen since I was a student myself, I thought that I was going mad. When it told me that I needed to come here immediately, I actually thought of not coming. But then again, if later on it was found that I didn't follow said house elf's orders I would end up dead, so I came. And this is what I found. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, struggling to move after his family beat him to death. I'm sorry for the irony, young boy, but for someone who wants to protect muggles so much… I can't help but see why you do it."

Harry groaned.

"Who are you?"

"You can't see me, can you? I am Lord Jeremy Lestrange." Harry was sure the man bowed with that presentation.

"Who sent you here?" Harry whimpered, trying to move so that he could put his glasses on. Honestly, why hadn't he done that before?

"If I do recall correctly, its name is Winky."

Harry stopped mid-track.

"Winky?" Harry asked the man.

As Harry said the name, said house elf popped up before Harry.

"Master Serpens Black called, sir?" The house elf asked Harry.

"You sent this man to me?" Harry asked the house elf as he tried to get his glasses, where had he put them?

Harry saw the figure that was Winky moving and then his glasses appeared before his eyes. Harry put them on, nodding in thanks to Winky.

"Winky did, sir. Master told Winky long ago for Winky to go for someone who would take care of Master Serpens and be able to take him out of his muggle family legally. Lord Sirius was really strict about the orders. Only someone who Master would trust and it couldn't be Master. Lord Malfoy couldn't be because Master is there so Winky had to think. Who else does Master trust? Then Winky thought of Lord Lestrange. Master Serpens used to like Lord Lestrange when he was younger and so Winky thought…"

"Winky." The house elf stopped babbling, looking at Harry. "You did great."

The house elf's eyes grew and she smiled, nodding her head before popping away to cry in some corner. Harry looked to Lord Lestrange who was having trouble controlling his emotions.

"You are Serpens Lynx Black?" Lord Lestrange finally asked.

Harry nodded, before forcing himself to sit.

"I have no idea why Tom would send Winky to bring someone to me, but…"

The man snorted.

"Are you going to pull that trick on me, Potter? For real? I'm a Slytherin." The man said with a smirk. "So tell me. Why do you live here if you are treated like this? And does the Dark Lord know from which time you are really from?"

Harry shook his head.

"I told him that I've met him, but he would have to wait until the end of the Second Wizard War."

The brown haired and eyed man nodded and approached, sitting on the bed.

"In the past, which period are you in?"

"Tom just turned 7… how did you enter? My uncle hates anything M-word related… how did you…?"

"Why do you live here then?"

"It's not like I have much of a choice… I asked to leave… Minister Fudge sent me right back and you see how good that did." Harry mumbled pointing to his person. "They're my family. I have to live with them until I'm old enough."

"Not if you are being abused."

"I'm not…" Harry might have blushed when Lord Lestrange put a finger on his lips to shut him up, not that he did… of course not.

"Don't even go that way." The man ordered, before he grabbed his own wand. A Patronus appeared and disappeared at once. "Just don't tell the Dark Lord I touched you…" the man added and Harry nodded quickly. "Seriously, don't tell him. If there isn't a law against touching Serpens Black… there will be."

Harry tried to smile but stopped at the pain.

"I may not know how my Tom grew, but I know what my baby brother grew into. And, honestly, that doesn't surprise me."

Lord Lestrange looked at Harry surprised and then he smirked.

"I can't wait until when the Dark Lord becomes 16 then…" the man mumbled to himself.

Harry looked at him, confused, and then he heard the front door, followed by his uncle shouting about his '_perfect house'_ and '_how_ _I don't want your kind in here'_. Mr Lestrange rolled his eyes.

"I will so love to deliver this man to the Dark Lord."

Harry tensed.

"No… don't do it… he can't know that I'm…"

"I'm not stupid, Mr Serpens. I know I can't tell the Dark Lord that this man has harmed his… older brother. No, I'll just tell him that he dared to touch Harry Potter and leave him to die. If I hadn't had an anonymous tip telling me that I had to be here, you would be dead and because of that, you feel like you owe me something and that is why you're accepting my offer to adopt you and raise you to be the Lord you're supposed to be."

Harry's eyes grew and he turned to the man. Any pain he had was forgotten.

"You're kidding, right?"

"That or I tell him that you're Serpens Black. I'm sure he'll be happy to finally have you in his arms again… and just so you know… he is the older one now."

Harry sighed.

"Why?" the man hummed in question as they heard the arguments downstairs. "Why won't you just bring me to him straight away?"

Lord Lestrange looked at Harry, looking away from the door for the first time since Uncle Vernon started screaming.

"If I was Lord Lucius I would have given you to the Dark Lord on a silver plate, Serpens Black or not. But first: you're not ready. Second: neither is he. And third… if I tell him you are Serpens… he will expect you to know things you don't know yet. By taking you to my house, keeping you a secret, keeping you safe and, at the same time, hiding that scar… I'm protecting you from him and keeping the future safe. Of course the messy hair is too Potter… but I'm sure my wife will make it work."

"I'm not exactly awake during the days and, during the nights, I'm not in this time… at all."

"Understood, sir." Lord Lestrange said with a bow of his head. "I'll wake you up at 3pm, give you a light meal, followed by a few hours of classes on how an heir and future Lord should act and then when the time comes... you'll be taken to the past."

**-SYiaS-**

Harry sat on a chair as Lady Lestrange attacked his hair with her wand and hand. If he had known he would be stuck under the woman's hand for so long, he would have never agreed with it.

"Have you considered that Tom has already seen my hair like this and he'll freak out when I don't have hair and all that?"

"What about your lightning scar?"

"Tom never commented on my lightning scar, probably because my hair was hiding it from him… or maybe he didn't think of mentioning it."

Lady Lestrange nodded.

"Do you like your short hair?" Harry frowned, confused. "It will be more manageable if you let your hair grow," she explained.

"Won't that make me look more girly?" Harry asked, feeling his face heat in shame.

"Who told you that?" Lady Lestrange asked in wonder, leaning down so she could be by Harry's height before Harry.

Harry looked to the other side in silence.

**-SYiaS-**

"So you're telling me, Jeremy, that this… animal has dared to raise its hand against Harry Potter?" Voldemort asked, while his old colleague knelt before him on the floor. His voice was as cold as ice.

"Yes, My Lord. If I hadn't received a letter telling me to come to the house, Mr Potter would be dead at the hands of a muggle."

Voldemort hissed in contemplation. Dumbledore should have protected his golden boy better. Or at least, Voldemort would have if he was that man.

"Where is Potter?"

"With my wife, My Lord." Voldemort looked at his colleague with a raised eyebrow. "Mr Potter was never taught on how to be a Lord. He was raised by muggles who hated him. Maybe, My Lord, if he learns to 'like' us; he won't turn against us. Besides, My Lord, he is only a teen. He doesn't seem like he wants to fight. Knowing the Minister and Dumbledore like we do, it doesn't surprise me, My Lord. They most likely forced the boy to this world and told him that he was the Boy Who Lived and so he had to fight for them."

Voldemort petted Nagini as she came to his lap, in silence.

"Tell Potter that if he agrees to stay out of the war; I won't attack him."

Jeremy bowed his head at once in respect and left, hearing a dismissal when someone said one. Voldemort looked at the muggle he had left behind.

"Wormtail!" Serpens' most hated person in the world appeared, bowing at once. "Take him to the dungeons with his family. Don't put them together."

The Animagus bowed his head at once and hurried to take the muggles away. Voldemort had more troublesome things to worry about than a muggle who had tormented something that was his. His Serpens wasn't anywhere he could find and he had to be alive now… perhaps Sirius Black had a son while he already was in prison but even so… Voldemort had to find his Serpens before those muggles could think of touching him…

Voldemort clenched his hands, thinking of his Serpens being hurt by muggles like Harry Potter had been. Vernon Dursley was a horrible person just to imagine a man like that raising his hand to his Serpens…

Voldemort looked at Nagini as she touched his cheek with her nose.

–Something wrong, master?–

–That muggle almost killed Harry Potter.–

–Like Serpens' muggle family did?–

Voldemort nodded and then his eyes narrowed. Serpens lived with muggles. Would Black be low enough to lay with muggles?

–Master?– Voldemort hummed as he stood. Maybe Wormtail knew something about Black having a muggle girlfrie… –Can I go scent Potter?–

Voldemort frowned and looked to his pet. Scent Harry Potter? Why would she want that?

–Don't touch him.– he warned and Nagini nodded and climbed down his body to the floor and Voldemort transported her to Lestrange Manor while wondering why his Pet wanted to speak with Harry Potter… "Wormtail." He called as he saw the crawly man in the corridor. The man jumped in fright and bowed at Voldemort at once. "Did Sirius Black ever have a girlfriend while Potter was on the run?"

Wormtail frowned, confused.

"No sir… Sirius wouldn't have a girlfriend… actually he never had a girlfriend." Voldemort frowned and the pitying man hurried to explain himself before Voldemort got angry. "Sirius doesn't swing that way, My Lord."

Voldemort looked at Wormtail with a raised eyebrow. So Black was gay? Then he couldn't have had a son with a muggle. It had to be a muggleborn…

Voldemort turned around and left, apparating to Black Manor. The house accepted him at once and he climbed the steps as he looked around with a sneer. He would have to clean the house if he wanted Serpens to come live with him for real. Voldemort entered the room where the tapestry with the family tree was. Voldemort approached and looked at Sirius Black's name where it had been burned off the tree by Walburga. Voldemort took a deep breath before he fixed the burn.

A line appeared under Sirius' name. Serpens' name appeared under that with his picture and date. Voldemort looked at it, his eyes growing and he couldn't help but laugh at his own stupidity.

Voldemort heard the front door opening and went to the door looking down in silence.

"Well… here it is." Sirius Black's voice said. "Black Manor… or what is left of it."

A man, that only could be Dumbledore, patted the wizard - that had to be Sirius Black -'s shoulder.

"Don't worry Sirius. This place is perfect. As soon as we make it liveable enough we can start using this as headquarters." Sirius shrugged, looking around with distaste. "I'll tell the Weasleys so Molly can come and start to prepare the house."

Sirius nodded and Dumbledore turned around, leaving. Voldemort glared at the man's back and then looked at Sirius with a considerate look. Voldemort walked again to the tapestry and looked at Serpens' face and did a few well known spells to change the birth date and Serpens' face to how he looked later in Voldemort's life.

As Voldemort pocketed his wand Sirius entered the room, pointing his own wand at Voldemort.

"I thought I smelled you."

Voldemort looked at him in silence and then at the tapestry.

"What are you doing here, Black? As far as I know you're not a Black anymore."

Sirius growled and was ready to attack when Voldemort turned to him.

"I, Tom Marvolo Riddle the Second, hereby claim the lordship of the Black family against Sirius Orion Black the Third."

Sirius frowned as they both felt the magic appear between the two, as if tasting what it wanted to do. And then, as Voldemort knew it would do, the magic claimed Voldemort as Lord of the family. Sirius' eyes grew wide.

"How?"

"Your Great-Grandfather, from whom your name came from, took me into the family when I was a child, Black." Voldemort answered, looking around in silence. "I grew up in this house." Voldemort started to leave the room and stopped at the door, beside Sirius. "If the Weasleys dare to touch this house I'll throw them out, as it is my right as the Lord of the family. The same for any other person you dare to bring to this house without my permission."

Sirius glared at Voldemort.

"How dare you…"

Voldemort pointed to the tapestry.

"I may have accepted you back in the family, Black… don't make me regret it."

Voldemort smirked as he saw Sirius looking at the tapestry and his eyes grew as he saw he had a missing son.

"I…" Sirius turned to Voldemort. "I don't have a son. Why…?"

"Don't you? Don't you recognize your own son?" Voldemort asked, amused, before leaving.

Voldemort apparated to Lestrange Manor and stayed in the corridor, peeking over the door as Alexa moved around one Harry Potter with her wand in her hand. Nagini was on the floor before the teen, looking at him pensively.

Voldemort took one good look at Harry and he could see how this teen was his Serpens. Today was only the first of July, which meant that if Harry was following the same dates Voldemort did back then, then Voldemort was still a child. He would have to wait until the end of August in order for their timelines to align. Voldemort sighed and turned around before leaving.

He had some muggles to torture.

**Tuesday, July 2, 1935**

"No, cousin Walburga, I don't want or need your help in any way." Harry looked from the floor he had been looking at, while in the future, to Tom's bedroom door as it was opened. An 8-years-old boy entered angrily, closing the door on the face of a 10-years-old girl that was following him. The boy looked surprised at Harry as there was someone in his room and then his eyes and smile grew. "Serpens?"

Harry stood and approached the boy, hugging him.

"I'm here, baby brother."

Tom groaned.

"For how long are you going to call me that?"

Harry chuckled.

"Until you kill me."

The boy growled and hugged Harry possessively.

"I will never do that!"

Harry tilted his head to the side, looking to the boy.

"Promise?"

The boy's eyes became ice in anger, his mouth narrowing.

"I, Tom Marvolo Riddle, hereby vow that I will never kill you, Serpens…"

"Lynx."

"Lynx Black or any other name you choose to go by, now or in the future. So mote it be."

Harry pulled Tom to his chest again, hugging him. He could feel magic surrounding the two, making it official. He knew he shouldn't have told Tom to do that, but it was the only way to make sure he wouldn't kill him in the future.

"I, Serpens Lynx Black or any other name I choose to go by, hereby vow that I will never kill you, Tom Marvolo Riddle or any other name you use, in this moment or in the future. So mote it be."

Tom grinned back.

"Did Winky get to you?"

Harry rolled his eyes and stood pulling the boy to the bed, sitting. Now that he thought about it, there was a logic for the boy to have such a big bed. So Harry could share it with him. It warmed Harry's heart thinking that Tom had chosen his bedroom thinking of him.

"Yes Tom. She took me to a Lord family to be protected. They're going to teach me the pureblood ways as I am the heir to my family and should know these things."

"The sole heir?" Harry nodded at the boy's question. "Then I'll be able to find you. Now that my older self has protected you, I can take care of you."

"Tom?" the boy hummed, looking back with a questioning look. "Your future You know things about our future together. If you came to me before I know these things… won't that compromise our future?"

The boy frowned in confusion and Harry looked to the door where Lord Black was entering. Harry stood at once, bowing his head. At least he had been taught something already; when the Lord of the house arrives you have to acknowledge him. Lord Black bowed his head back before pulling a chair and sitting before the two. He waved for Harry to sit.

"Don't worry, young Serpens, I will make sure Tom is taught about issues that arise when one messes with the future." Harry nodded thankfully. "Who is the Lord of our family in your time?"

Harry frowned. The Lord of the Black family?

"I'm not sure. I always heard that my" Harry looked sideways to Tom, "father was the last one."

When Harry looked at Lord Black, he was sure the man had caught on about his fear of what title to use in front of Tom. Lord Black nodded and pulled a parchment, giving it to Harry.

"A drop of your blood if you please." Harry raised an eyebrow. "I take it that, by the time you birth, I'll be dead as the name of the father you told me is not a name I know of. I'm sure I won't last long enough to see the grandchildren of my grandchildren." Harry nodded. "So I may be told of your true name and so that I may save it with the Black accounts manager. When the time comes, he'll be your account manager in the future. He'll make sure you won't be refused from the family and that you'll be taken care of. At least from now on."

Tom who looked as though he were in pain, but he smiled and stood, walking away to let Harry cut himself. A drop of blood fell on the parchment. In a moment, words started to form in Harry's own blood.

**_Birth Name:_**

_Harry James Potter_

**_Fake Names:_**

_Bloody Baron_

_Gregory Goyle_

_Neville Longbottom_

_Serpens Lynx Black_

**_Birth Date:_**

_31 July 1980_

**_Blood Status:_**

_Halfblood_

**_Creature Status:_**

_Human_

_Wizard_

**_Gender:_**

_Male_

_**Status:**_

_Virgin_

**_Parents:_**

_James Charlus Potter_

_Lily Rose Potter – née Evans_

**_Godparents:_**

_Sirius Orion Black _

_Alice Mary Longbottom – née Bell_

**_Soul mentor:_**

_Tom Marvolo Riddle_

**_Adoptive Parents: _**

_Jeremy Rabastan Lestrange_

_Alexa Marlene Lestrange – née Vance_

**_Magical mentor:_**

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

**_Family Lord:_**

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore (Dumbledore / Gryffindor / Potter)_

_Honoria Rolanda Pettigrew (Pettigrew)_

_Jeremy Rabastan Lestrange (Lestrange)_

_Remus John Lupin (Lupin)_

_Tom Marvolo Riddle (Black / Gaunt / Peverell / Riddle / Slytherin) _

**_Children:_**

_– – –_

**_Heir:_**

_Black_

_Gaunt_

_Gryffindor_

_Lestrange_

_Lupin_

_Pettigrew_

_Peverell_

_Potter_

_Riddle_

_Slytherin_

**_Speciality:_**

_Flying_

_Parselmagic_

"I'm Peter's heir?"

At Lord Black's raised eyebrow Harry pointed to the Pettigrew's surname on the paper.

"Is he friends with your parents?"

Harry frowned and then nodded.

"He betrayed them, but yes. They were best friends in school."

"Does he have a wife or…" Harry shook his head. "Then it's normal that his mother has accepted you as his heir."

Harry looked to the papers again.

"Dumbledore is my mentor? Since when?"

"He obviously has not been doing his job." Lord Black snarled. "I'll make sure the lordships that he won as your magical mentor will be passed on to your adoptive parents so you can be properly educated." Lord Black picked the parchment and studied it. "I take it Tom made you his heir, as some of these inheritances came from him."

Harry looked to the boy at the side whose eyes grew, looking at Harry from the desk where he was sitting by.

"I suppose he did." Tom grinned and returned to the book on the desk. Harry turned to Lord Black and saw him raising a ward around then.

"Care to explain it?"

"All I know is that he tried to kill me when I was a baby and passed some powers to me. I suppose that is why and how he soul adopted me, even if it wasn't on purpose."

"Who told you that?"

"Dumbledore, at the end of my second year."

Lord Black hummed thinking.

"What happened to your godmother? Why weren't you raised by her?"

"She and her husband were tortured to insanity… by Rodolphus, Rabastan and Bellatrix Lestrange." Harry said. "And Barty Crouch Jr." he added as an afterthought.

"And they attacked them because?"

"They were Death Eaters. They worked for his future self." Harry said pointing to Tom with his head. "They attacked the Longbottoms thinking that they knew where to find Tom." Harry bit the bottom of his lip and looked the other way.

It cost him to think of his Tom as the future Dark Lord, but he had to because they were one and the same.

"You said your parents died?"

Harry nodded, feeling his throat tight.

"To… he killed them and then tried to kill me."

There was a silence as Lord Black looked to the parchment and then finally the man stood, undoing the silence wards.

"Tom?"

"Yes, sir?" Tom asked looking up to the man.

"You need to promise that you will never hurt Serpens."

"Just did that. And Serpens vowed that he would never kill me back."

Harry felt Lord Black eyes on him, but didn't dare to look at the man.

"Then I want you to make another vow."

"What is it sir?"

"That if you ever hurt Serpens in any possible way you're going to compensate him."

Harry looked up at once, paling.

"He doesn't need to vow anything. I…"

Tom stood and approached sitting beside Harry grabbing his hand.

"I vow that when I'll become of age I will protect you and take care of you to the best of my capabilities. And I will make everything in my power to keep you happy." The boy said innocently.

Harry sighed and pulled the boy to his lap hugging him and putting his head on the boy's hair.

**(TBC)**

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><p>Ps: If you want to keep updated on my fanfics or just talk to me or give me suggestions: <strong>www(doc)facebook(doc)comIsysSkeeterFanfiction**


	10. Chapter X –Hogwarts–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **JL/AL, implied RegulusBlack/MorfinGaunt, SB/HB

**Warnings in this chapter: **jump in time, slash

**Nr words in this chapter: **1,980

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><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter X<strong>

**–Hogwarts–**

**Tuesday, July 5, 1938**

Days passed. The Lestranges were wonderful people and being able to see Tom without worrying about the issue of not much sleep or that someone might enter suddenly was great. Tom was growing quickly, too quickly for Harry's liking. This year… this year meant that Tom was going to Hogwarts. His Tom… was going to become the monster Harry feared and hated…

"Serpens?" Tom asked, confused, as Harry arrived his room.

Harry looked up to Tom to see the boy had his letter in hand and was looking at him with fear. Harry smiled.

"Is that your letter?" Tom smiled and nodded. "Let's see it then." Harry said proudly and picked up the letter, opening it, feeling butterflies at the fact that Tom hadn't opened it yet.

In an hour of the two checking the list of things Tom would have to buy, the bedroom's door opened to show Lord Sirius. Harry and Tom stood at once and bowed their heads in respect.

"Serpens, Tom. Dress in your outdoor robes, we're going to Diagon Alley." Harry frowned, confused. "Tom's been waiting for you to show you his letter, I suppose that he'll also want to buy his school things with you." The man explained. Tom ran to his closet and took out two robes. He gave one to Harry (Harry noticed it was his size) and dressed in his.

Harry looked at his baby brother's ecstatic persona and sighed, pulling on the outdoor robe. Tom didn't know and he was still his baby brother. Harry grinned at Tom and pointed to the door.

"Shall we then?" Tom nodded happily and the three left the bedroom. Harry looked around the Black house in silence. "It's a beautiful house, Lord Sirius."

Lord Sirius bowed his head.

"You're welcome. It's been in the family for generations, one day it will be yours." The three stopped by a door. Lord Sirius opened it and Harry noticed that the inside was a living room filled with multiple adults, all of them looking a lot like Harry's Godfather - which meant that they had to be Blacks. "Tom's brother Serpens came over. We are leaving to take Tom, shopping." Lord Sirius stated.

As if by unison, all the men looked at Harry at once. A woman in her twenties stood.

"Maybe I could accompany you, Grandfather?" the witch asked.

"But of course, Lucretia." Lord Sirius conceded.

One of the men pointed to another man in his late twenties.

"Pollux, my son, accompany them. Diagon Alley is not safe during the nights." The man who was in his fifties ordered.

The youngest nodded and stood.

"Brother Cygnus is right." A woman in her late forties stated. She turned to one of the twenty-year-olds. "Regulus if you could accompany them as well? Both your brother and I would feel safer if nothing happened to Lucretia, young Tom, young Serpens and your father."

The man, Regulus, stood with a nod.

"Not that I don't believe that father can't take care of himself, Mother, but I will do as you request," he stated. The three left the living room, Lord Sirius closing the door behind them. The door had barely closed and Harry already could hear them talking about him. Regulus bowed his head at Harry. "It's a pleasure finally meeting you, young Serpens. I am Regulus Black. You can either call me Regulus or Cousin Regulus like your strict brother does. I can give you a perfectly guarantee that you won't need to call me father. I'm the only one who wouldn't slept with Merope Gaunt."

Harry looked at the young man, amused, as he talked with him as though they had always known each other.

"It's my pleasure, Cousin Regulus. I'm Serpens. And how can you be so sure?"

"Your 'Mother' would have to be Morfin Gaunt for you to exist." Lucretia argued and Harry frowned as Regulus pouted at the young witch. "As not even my dear uncle would dare to go with your uncle, then by all means, that means that Uncle Regulus is safely not your father," she explained. "I'm Lucretia, Regulus is my direct Uncle and Lord Sirius is my direct Grandfather."

Harry bowed his head.

"A pleasure, Miss."

"Cousin." A male voice, which came from the Pollux man, amended. "If you are a Black, then you should use the family status. I don't believe Lucretia would have been your sister as her father Arcturus was too young when he had her. Even if he was old enough for that by the time you would have been born, I'm certain that Arcturus wouldn't do something like that," the man explained. "And, as you must have heard my father say, I am Pollux. Lord Sirius is my direct uncle, which makes Cousin Regulus and Lucretia's father Arcturus my direct cousins. You may also call me Cousin Pollux."

Harry nodded in thanks.

"Thank you, Cousin."

The three entered an office that Harry suspected of being Lord Sirius' one.

"I suppose you have travelled through floo powder before." Lord Sirius stated, offering Harry a vase filled with floo-powder.

Harry made a face but grabbed the powder.

"I did… I'm terrible at the landings through."

"You aren't much better with portkeys either." Tom argued.

Regulus snickered.

"Don't worry, we'll go first and we'll catch you. Just make sure you fall out of the right fireplace…" Regulus chuckled as Harry went deep red. "You already fell out of the wrong fireplace? You really were raised by muggles. Priceless!"

"Behave yourself, Regulus."

"Yes, Father."

"Pollux, Regulus, you two go ahead to the Leaky Cauldron." Lord Sirius ordered and the two immediately floo-travelled. "Lucretia, if you could go next to help Young Serpens with the landings?"

The witch nodded and she smiled at Harry before entering.

"The key, my boy, is pronunciation." A witch voice, that Harry had heard earlier, said. Harry turned to see Regulus' Mother, which made her Lady Black, by the door. "Before you throw the powder into the fire, you take a very deep breath. When you've been emerged with the fire, you use that breath you had taken earlier to say the words as calmly as you can manage."

"Thank you, Lady Bl…"

"Hesper." She put in.

"Lady Hesper."

Lady Hesper approached and rearranged Harry's robe, placing a spell on them before turning to Tom and doing the same. Harry approached the fireplace, but before he could even take a deep breath, Lady Hesper approached with a small coin purse. She put this in Harry's free hand and she bent down to Harry's ear.

"So you can buy your baby brother a new pet. If there isn't enough money tell my husband." Harry opened his mouth to argue but the witch stepped back with a smile. "I promise to save all his letters to give to you next year, or should I say tomorrow?" The witch turned to her husband. "Don't forget to buy the diaries."

"I won't, Hesper."

Harry, frowned, confused and Tom approached him.

"As the lady of the family, she has to know the truth about you. And she insisted on me writing a diary about my time at Hogwarts so I can give them to you."

"Oh…" Harry smiled at Lady Hesper, nodding his head before turning to the fireplace. He took a deep breath, threw the floo powder and waited until the red fire enveloped him before saying the words. "Leaky Cauldron."Harry

As he was thrown into the fire, Harry closed his eyes. He pulled his knees to his chest, only for arms to suddenly embrace him. Harry opened his eyes to see Cousin Regulus, helping him stand.

"You really amuse me, Young Serpens. It's a pity that Young Tom keeps you all to himself."

"And for good reasons," Lucretia added, forcing Regulus' hands away from Harry as Tom and Lord Sirius left the fireplace.

Harry looked at the two and noticed that there were no leaves or debris on their clothes. Now the spell that Lady Hesper had done made a lot of sense. Tom approached him and Harry noticed him looking for bruises, which only warmed Harry's heart.

–I'm fine, Tomtom.–

Tom hummed, his eyes growing slightly.

"Where should we start, Uncle?" Pollux asked.

"Young Tom already has the robes requested, so there is no need to buy the uniform now."

"Cousin Serpens on the other hand…" Lucretia argued, looking at Harry's clothes and making Harry blush.

"I like muggle clothes… Lady Alexa also argues with me about them but…"

"Serpens, my dear, there's muggle clothes… and then there's rags!" Lucretia explained, before turning to her father. "How about Uncle Regulus and I take him clothes shopping and then we meet you at the book shop? We all know how Cousin Tom loses himself in there."

Lord Sirius nodded.

"Put it on the Black's bill. Young Serpens also needs to pass by a shop that Hesper wants him to pass."

Lucretia nodded affirmatively and put a hand on Harry's arm, pulling him away, Regulus behind them. Harry looked back at Tom.

–See you soon.– the boy whispered and Harry noticed it wasn't in English.

–I'll always return for you.– Harry answered before looking away. It hurt to say that, his heart was squeezing so hard…

"I always found it funny when Cousin Tom spoke like that…" Regulus commented pensively. "But when you say it, it makes it almost sensual…" the man added with a wink.

Harry blushed deep red.

"I can't control it like Tomtom," he argued. "But it goes further than English so I can speak with Tommy from so far away."

Lucretia smiled.

"He lets you call him that?"

"I'm his big brother." Harry argued, amused. "Only I have the right to call him as I please." Harry explained making Regulus laugh.

"You're so cute… are you single?"

"I am and I'm a Black, so don't even think about it." Harry answered easily, making Lucretia laugh.

"He got you there, Uncle."

Regulus chuckled himself.

"If you ever change your mind, I'm free," he added tauntingly, making Harry laugh. "So clothes shopping - here we go."

**-SiaS-**

Harry approached Tom to see him looking at some book.

"If you keep reading like that you're going to need glasses when you're my age," He teased, making the boy look up in surprise. "What are you reading anyway?"

Tom showed the cover. _Time-Travel and The Mess It Creates_

"Lord Sirius said it would be a good book for me." The boy commented.

Harry smiled and removed something from his pocket to show to the boy. Tom looked at Harry, confused, and put the book back into his pocket. He looked to what was in Harry's hands only for his eyes to grow.

"I promised her that you would give her all the petting and food in the world if she would come with me." Harry said teasingly, making Tom half-glare at him before picking up the small snake.

**Thursday, July 6, 1995**

When Harry arrived in his timeline, he fell on his bed crying. He cried and cried and cried and kept crying even when all the tears had dried out. Having to keep a smile on his face for his baby brother was the worst thing he had ever done. Poor Tom - he had no idea what kind of monster he would become… and Harry could do nothing to stop it. Not for the first time, Harry hated the time travel phenomenon he was involved in.

-Serpens?- Harry looked up to see Voldemort's snake entering the bedroom and climbing into the bed. She laid next to him and hugged him. -Hush, silly master. Nagini's here, see?-

Harry hiccupped and, for the first time, he didn't care that the snake was calling him by a name she wasn't supposed to. He let her embrace him, crying into her coils.

**(TBC)**

* * *

><p>To whom didn't realize it yet, there was a jump in time from last chapter to this day. There will be, from now on, from time-to-time jumps in time as it would be hard for me and monotonous for you if I really did the 60 days<p>

Ps: to anyone who wants I will share a picture of the Black family on my AO3 story so people can see the family status, I didn't invent anyone. And if anyone's wondering Arcturus Black in the canon had Lucretia Black when he was still 12 years old = P


	11. Chapter XI –The Talk–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **The Talk

**Nr words in this chapter: **663

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XI<strong>

**–The Talk–**

**Sunday, July 7, 1940**

Harry was reading a book when he arrived in Tom's time a couple of days later. Tom sat at his side and peeked over his shoulder, as Tom's pet snake moved to Harry's lap.

"You can't be serious…" the thirteen-year-old groaned. "Please tell me you aren't actually planning on going forth with this…"

"The family that took me in taught me that mentors teach this to their children when they're thirteen. It's normal. Trust me, I want to do this as much as you do; they just did this to me today and said that I had to do it with you or Lord Black would."

Tom's face morphed into disgust but he didn't move away.

"You really are taking this older brother thing to heart, aren't you?"

Harry looked up to Tom.

"What else should I do? No matter what, you are the best thing that happened to me, Tomtom."

Tom's eyes narrowed at the nickname.

"Do you have any idea how I hate the name 'Tom'?"

Harry laughed.

"I know… I just don't care." Tom rolled his eyes and Harry showed him the book. "Shall we?"

"Do we really have to?"

"Come on, Tommy, how else will you learn about love and how to not get your heart broken by a girl? Trust me… had I known this last year - I wouldn't have asked a friend to the Yule ball."

Tom groaned but sat at his side. Harry looked at him in silence. He was growing more quickly than Harry had. It wouldn't take long for Tom to grow taller than him, for Tom to become a killer. Myrtle would die in a few days…

"I'm not going to invite any girl to the ball." Tom added grudgingly.

Harry half-glared to Tom.

"You need to learn, Tom. You need to learn about how to take care of someone close to us. How to…"

"I know, all right? I know that if I let people too close they can hurt me. I know that I have to be careful but that I also have to give something in return. That's why it's not going to happen, Serpens. I'm never going to fall in love!"

Harry looked at Tom sadly. 'And that's why you became a mass murderer.'

"I love you."

Tom tensed, his face turning pale.

"Serpens, I… I didn't mean you, I meant… I do love you, you know that, right?"

"You said you would never love someone, Tommy."

"I know… it's just that… I care for you Serpens, I really do. And I know that you will never hurt me. We even vowed it. But… you are the only person I can trust."

"It's because you trust so little, that you have so few friends." Harry argued.

Tom stood and hugged Harry.

"I don't care about anyone else, Serpens. I only care what you think of me. You are the only constant thing in my life… even if only for one night a year. I'll wait for you every year for one night during summer until I'm old enough to be with you in the same time." Harry sighed and hugged Tom tight. "Do I still need to learn about how two people intercourse?"

Harry laughed and pulled Tom away, sitting him down.

"Yes. You still have to hear how it is when two people have sex, amongst other things. Besides… you should never have sex but love." Tom frowned confused. "Sex is when there are no feelings attached. Making love is when you love that person so much, you two let each other see your weakest moments."

Tom hummed, before looking at the book.

"Maybe I could just read the book? Save us the trouble of the talk?" he asked, with a little bit of hope in his voice.

Harry couldn't help the chuckle. People could say whatever they wanted about Lord Voldemort or Tom Riddle… but his Tommy was still just a kid.

**(TBC)**


	12. Chapter XII –Voldemort–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **HP/TMR, HP/LV

**Warnings in this chapter: **non time-travel, slash

**Nr words in this chapter: **3,051

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XII<strong>

**–Voldemort–**

**Saturday, July 8, 1995**

Harry sighed when he finally woke up. Ever since his crying attack, Nagini had taken to moving to his room. She wouldn't leave him alone.

–What happened?– Nagini raised her head from Harry's belly. –To turn Tom such a cold hearted man? Did I stop visiting him or…–

–He was picked on at school by this Professor of his… Dumbledore, I think his name was.– Harry hummed. –Lord Sirius tried to keep him well taught and all, but even with the Black status, Master didn't manage to get any job that mattered after leaving school and then… after he started dividing himself he… well when he went to the forest and he heard of Lord Sirius' death… it was like the last straw. And since he returned, all he can think of is finding you and having you in his hands all the time.–

–Dumbledore created Voldemort…–

–That's what I said, silly master.–

Harry chuckled and stood, forcing Nagini to release him.

–Do you sleep here when I'm away?–

Nagini left the bed as Harry dressed.

–I sleep with master and he changes me at sunrise so silly master won't be alone and unprotected.– Harry tensed and turned to the enormous snake. –Did you think master would really leave his mate unprotected?–

Harry choked, going deep red.

–I'm not his… Tom knows I am Serpens?–

–Of course Master knows.–

Harry finished dressing quickly.

–Can you smell him? Is he here?–

Nagini made her snake form of a nod, and started to guide Harry out of his quarters and to a part of the Lestrange Manor that he hadn't gone to yet. Considering the few times he actually spent with time to himself when he was there, it wasn't surprising. Finally, Nagini approached one of the doors that opened for her and Harry followed her inside. Voldemort was there reading a book.

–I thought I told you, Nagini, to not leave Serpens alone.–

"I asked her to guide me." Harry argued.

Nagini approached the fireplace and laid before it. Voldemort's red eyes looked up and, immediately, they found green.

"Serpens." The name left the lips so easily as if they belonged there. Voldemort waved to the chair before the desk and Harry approached, taking it. "What day was last night?"

"Sex talk." Harry answered, knowing what the man really wanted to know.

Voldemort nodded.

"Why did you want Nagini to guide you to me?"

"Why did you go after my parents?"

"You don't know?" Harry shook his head. "There is a prophecy. It claims that you are the one who can defeat me."

Harry frowned, confused.

"Who knows about this?"

"Dumbledore, Snape… probably the Minister." Harry looked at the papers on Voldemort's desk wondering why he hadn't been told before. "You really don't know anything about this?" Harry shook his head. "So Dumbledore really is raising you for slaughter…" Voldemort said coldly, with anger. "I wondered why he didn't take you from your abusive family before…"

"I'm sure he didn'…"

"Harry, please… Don't play stupid with me. We both know that you're better than that."

Harry glared at Voldemort, only to see his Tom in Voldemort's eyes.

"When Lord Sirius blood-tested me…" Voldemort hummed, with widening eyes. Harry wondered how long the man had waited to hear about it. "You hadn't simply adopted me. You soul adopted me. What does that mean?"

"Soul adoption, you say?" Harry nodded and tensed as Voldemort stood and walked around the desk. He approached Harry and knelt before him. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you" the man added as he took his wand out.

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. He could feel Voldemort's magic as the man did tests on him. Finally, Harry opened his eyes and saw Voldemort standing and stepping away to his chair.

"What is it, To… Voldemort?"

"You know," Voldemort said, "you are and will always be the only person with balls enough to call me by both my names without fear - and the only person I will ever let call me by my birth name." Harry blushed. Voldemort sat on his chair and started to open his drawers. "When I killed Myrtle… I suppose you know about that already?" Harry nodded. "Her death was by accident - and on purpose. By accident, as she wasn't supposed to be there. On purpose, as I needed someone to die to test a spell I wanted to make. A soul spell." Voldemort explained. He picked up a diary. Tom Riddle's diary. "Lucius told me what happened during your second year - I will want to test your blood, considering the Basilisk poison plus the Phoenix tears may still co-exist in your body – what do you think this was?"

"The diary… Tom, told me that it was a memory preserved in a diary for fifty years… your memory. He was obsessed with me actually, with the Boy Who Lived. How I had survived you."

"It was more than a memory, Serpens. It was me." Harry looked at Voldemort, confused. "When I was young - I dreamed of living forever with you. To live with you. I couldn't do that if I was old… so I found a way to fight death. I put a part of my soul in here. When I killed Myrtle, my soul splinted and a Horcrux was created."

"You made more than one, didn't you?" Voldemort nodded. "You soul adop… I'm one, aren't I?"

"Yes. Accidentally, but I did turn you into a part of my own soul. My vow to never kill you turned against me and killed me, but since I couldn't die I simply lost a body. Since I tried to kill someone, I splinted my soul. Part of that soul went to you."

Harry hummed, looking down at his hands and then towards Voldemort, who was laying the empty diary on the drawer.

"Dumbledore knows about the diary… he has to know about the horcruxes… about me."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"And you are only giving me reasons to keep you under even more protection."

Harry huffed and crossed his arms.

"I can take care of myself."

Voldemort smiled, amused.

"I know and I can't wait for the end of the summer," he argued. Harry raised an eyebrow. "If I hadn't been forced to learn about time disturbance we wouldn't be sitting so far apart." The man commented and looked to a magical clock on the wall. "Jeremy must be starting to get worried about where you run off to."

Harry rolled his eyes and stood, approaching the window in Voldemort's office. He looked outside. He could see the backyard with all its splendour, the garden and the forest that surrounded the manor.

"Why are you here, at the Lestrange's? Winky had said you were at the Malfoy's," he asked and heard Voldemort stand and approach.

"Because I wanted to be close to you." The man's voice said, from right behind Harry. "When did you found out that Tom was me?"

"The day of the letter. The day that I sent the letter to Lord Sirius and gave him the means to adopt you." Harry answered. He turned to look at Voldemort right behind him, and found himself having to look up to the man. "By then I was too attached to even regret it."

Voldemort hummed. He stepped forward, closing the distance that separated them and placed his arms around Harry. For the first time in Harry's life - he felt safe and protected.

"I remember how frustrating it was for me to discover that my Serpens was the same person I tried to kill at least three times." Harry chuckled, putting his face in Voldemort's chest. "But it must have been as frustrating for you. To find that the boy you cared for would become me."

"Well… finding out that the boy was you was good and bad for me. Good as I then knew you would… 'survive'," Voldemort laughed at that, his chest moving against Harry's face with the movement, "and bad because I had to accept that I couldn't change my baby Brother from becoming the mass murderer I knew he would be."

"I didn't start as a mass murderer. Did you know? It started because I wanted to stop wizards from living with muggles."

"What about muggleborns?" Harry asked raising its head to look up "And when did you get so tall? Even yesterday you barely got to my shoulder."

Voldemort laughed and, still hugging Harry, leaned against the wall.

"And not even a week ago, I was a baby in diapers to you," the man said, making Harry send the man an amused smile. "No, I never intended on killing muggleborns, Serpens."

"The Malfoys seems to think otherwise." Harry argued. "He even called my best friend a mudblood."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"I will talk with Lucius about this. And no, Harry, my intention is just as I told you decades ago; to protect wizards and witches from muggles. From the way you and I were mistreated."

Harry hummed and leaned his head against the man's chest. Someone knocked on the door. Without moving from his position, Voldemort opened the door with magic.

"My Lord."

Harry made a move to take his head from the chest but a squeeze from Voldemort was enough to make him stop.

"What is it, Severus?" Harry's eyes narrowed and he was sure that the man hesitated. Voldemort added. "Whatever you have to say, you may say before Serpens."

"Of course, my Lord. Dumbledore had found a place to house the Order of the Phoenix but suddenly at the last moment, Black apparently changed his mind and refused to let anyone near the house. The Order has moved to Hogwarts for now."

"And Black?" Voldemort asked.

"Ever since he heard that Potter had been taken in by the Lestranges, he stopped going to the Order's meetings." Harry almost hissed angrily at the loathing for his own surname, demonstrated in Snape's voice.

"Leave." Only when the door closed did Voldemort release his strong hold on Harry. "Severus is such a bad liar, isn't he?"

Harry looked up confused.

"He… lied?"

"He's lucky that he came when you were here or he would've not been in one piece for coming with such a story. I knew your Godfather wasn't letting the order in, I'm the Black Lord and I know when people enter the family estate. About Hogwarts, I already suspected that. He actually came to check on Harry Potter. Probably to see if he can 'kidnap' him from the enemy's lair."

Harry looked behind to the door and then back at Voldemort. The man pulled him close and put his head on Harry's hair.

"Why did you tell him my name?" Harry asked. He knew that if he asked Voldemort about how he knew Snape was there to check up on Harry instead, he would eventually end causing Snape's untimely demise.

"Every Death Eater has heard of Serpens. A several few have even met him. And almost all of them have heard of you. How you are my only weakness."

"I'm not weak." Harry protested angrily.

Voldemort chuckled against Harry's hair.

"I never said you were, my Serpens." The man said, amused. "Actually, I know you are really strong. Consider that you managed to fight against me and still lived to tell the tale." There was a second knock on the door and Harry hid his face in Voldemort's chest. "Jeremy." Voldemort said as soon as the door opened.

Harry looked to see Lord Lestrange bowing his head.

"My Lord, I'm sorry but it's time for young Serpens to have his afternoon classes."

Voldemort released Harry and Harry could feel how the man had to force himself to do it. Voldemort approached his desk and picked up a pack of parchments. Nagini approached Voldemort and climbed his shoulders. Half her body was still on the floor. Voldemort turned towards Harry and gestured to the door.

"Shall we go?"

"You're coming?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you were trying to avoid me."

"You were the one who came to me. And now that you have come, it isn't as though I want to stay away from you." Voldemort said conspiratorially. –And I think we're scaring poor Jeremy by talking like this to each other.–

Harry raised an amused eyebrow.

–Like what, baby Brother? Like friends?–

Voldemort looked at Harry with an amused look.

–I can't wait for after tomorrow, Serpens.–

–So people keep telling me.– Harry said playfully. He was certain that Lord Jeremy tensed at his tone. –I think you're right. Poor Lord Jeremy is wondering if I'm crazy or too Gryffindor for my own good.–

–A little of both.– Voldemort answered as they entered the drawing room where Lady Alexa was waiting for him. –But who else would take his parents killer under his protection and banter with the man said to be the most cold-hearted person in the whole world?–

Harry glared at the title.

–I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm merely talking with my TomTom.– he said before walking up to Lady Alexa.

"Young Harry."

"Lady Alexa." Harry stated, bowing his head at the woman. When she offered him the couch, he sat before her. "You look astonishing this fine evening."

"Well thank you, young Harry. You look startling yourself." Harry bowed his head accepting the compliment. He saw Voldemort sitting on a table by the side with his parchments. "Have you had your breakfast?"

"Not yet, madam."

"Then today we'll practice how to talk while eating and how to grab your food accordingly." Lady Alexa stated and turned to Voldemort. "Would you like something to eat or drink as well, my Lord?"

"I wouldn't refuse a cup of tea, Lady Alexa." Voldemort conceded, looking up from his parchments to the woman.

Lady Alexa nodded, called a house elf and requested the food.

"May I ask what you're reading about?" Harry asked, turning to Voldemort as they waited for the food.

Lady Alexa tensed at his audacity but Voldemort smiled.

"Reports… from my men that work at the Ministry of Magic." Voldemort answered truthfully. "So that I know what else has changed since the last time I was… around," he explained. "The blood test that Lord Sirius made you do. Do you still have the parchment?"

"It's in my trunk."

"I would like to have it to know how many lordships you hold. From what I remembered, you and Lord Sirius commented that it was quite the lot."

"Shouldn't I redo a new one? Last time Dumbledore was my magical mentor and the Lord of many of my inheritances."

Voldemort hummed, turning to Lady Alexa.

"Yes, he should do a new one. And this way you'll know what to prepare him for."

Lady Alexa nodded. She stood with a bow of her head before leaving the room. Harry immediately let himself relax into the couch and look at Voldemort as the man returned to the parchments. After the house elf had left the food on the table, Harry couldn't help but ask a question.

"Do you resent me?"

Voldemort frowned, looking up at Harry.

"Why should I?"

"For not telling you who I was, for only coming a night a year. For not being there and being there at the same time."

Voldemort hummed and saved the parchment.

"I did resent you. When I was a child before Lord Sirius took me in. I couldn't exactly understand who you were. Yes, I understood that you cared about me, but I still resented you for wanting to be there for me and not actually being there." Harry nodded lowering his head. "It's not something you can control, Harry. This started on the day of my rebirth, am I correct?" Harry nodded. "Then this is probably a side-effect of a stray spell from one of my Death Eaters and be sure that I will find who dared to curse you… although I'm unsure if I should punish him or reward him considering what that created." The man added pensively, making Harry snort at that. "However; by my fourteen birthday, I stopped resenting it and quite honestly I looked forward to that one night that I could spend with you, knowing that one day in the future I would be able to be with you in the same time. One night with my weakness and one year waiting for you and making sure that I would be someone that you would be proud of. Well… forget the last part." Voldemort added with a snort. "But that was what I looked forward to every year, because one night with you once a year was better than one year with anyone else that I had ever met."

Harry blushed but nodded, looking the other way.

"What about now that you know who I am?"

"I only resented that I've found you so early." Harry looked at the man surprised. Voldemort was looking at Harry darkly, and Harry wondered why. "It's good because now I know that it's you and I have gotten used to the idea. But I resent myself for not wanting to stay away from you now that I've found you and for staying with you as I know things you don't. I have to keep them to myself so that they can happen… and trust me. I do want them to happen."

"You called me your weakness." Harry said, and Voldemort nodded. "Only you would see love as a weakness, Tom." He stated making Voldemort frown, confused.

Harry sat straighter as he heard Lady Alexa return and, when she entered the room, he stood.

–I do love you, Serpens.– Voldemort argued as Lady Alexa made Harry the blood test.

Harry hummed.

–No, you don't.– Harry argued on top.

There was a moment of silence as Harry looked at his blood moving on the parchment and then Voldemort spoke.

–No, I don't.–

Harry had to contain the tight feeling in his chest at hearing that. Voldemort had understood what Harry had meant when he said that Voldemort didn't love him, and Voldemort had accepted it, because Voldemort didn't love Harry… he was in love with Harry.

**(TBC)**

* * *

><p>Hi<p>

If anyone didn't notice I hated the scene where Snape showed up, it seemed forced to me, but it needed happening so...

~Isys


	13. Chapter XIII –First Kiss–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **HP/TMR

**Warnings in this chapter: **slash, first kiss, possessiveness

**Nr words in this chapter: **2,376

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XIII<strong>

**–First Kiss–**

**Sunday, July 9, 1995**

Harry woke at the feeling of the transportation. Tom had been ecstatic with the idea that he was now the same age as Harry. Finally they were both fourteen. Fourteen… Fourteen days since he had met Tom.

Harry shivered as he hit his cold mattress. He stood and grabbed a night robe, enveloping his body with it and left the bedroom. It was too early for someone to be awake so he hoped that Voldemort was in his room. Harry went to the west wing and, letting his magic guide him, opened one of the doors. The room was dark and a huge king-sized bed was in the middle of the bedroom. Harry looked at the figure on the bed and closed the door behind him, with the softest sound he could manage. Then he tiptoed to the mattress.

He wondered if the owner of the bed would just suddenly awaken and attack him but…

The man on the mattress pulled the blanket out, offering the bed from Harry's side. It made Harry tense and freeze. A white, cold hand approached, grabbed Harry, pulled him to the mattress and pulled the blanket over Harry.

"You should be sleeping." Voldemort hissed against Harry's head.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you…"

"I was about to get up to take Nagini to your bedroom." Voldemort said. "Why are you here?"

"Bed was cold," Harry replied, making Tom chuckle. "What? It's true."

"Never change, Serpens. Never change." Tom pulled Harry to himself and held him close. "If I make you uncomfortable - do tell."

Harry nodded and closed his eyes, leaning in to his Tom.

"Why should I? You're already taller than me in the past."

"You just haven't reached your growth spurt yet. When the time comes, you'll be as tall as I am. You'll see. In a couple of years you'll be taller."

Harry groaned.

"How can you be so sure?"

"You're a late bloomer, Serpens. Your father, James Potter, was exactly the same. He only grew during the summer before his seventh year."

Harry looked up at his Tom, surprised. Tom took a hand to Harry's face and massaged it.

"You once told me the year your Father was born… I examined and followed the growth of every man that could've been your Father. Although I followed Sirius Black's life more closely, I know enough of Potter if you want to hear about him."

Harry nodded.

"I would like that. Do you know about my Mother?"

"I know. Trust me, she passed through my mind as a possible Mother until she married James instead of Sirius. I promise I'll tell you tomorrow but now - sleep, tonight you'll have an eventful night." Harry raised an eyebrow. "The Black ball." Tom pinpointed before pushing Harry's head back on his chest. "Sleep."

"Does that means that Lady Alexa will spend the afternoon teaching me how to dance?" Harry groaned, making Tom chuckle.

"She will spend the afternoon preparing you for the ball, yes. And Cousin Lucretia bought dress robes for the occasion using the measurements she had taken on the day that you went with me to Diagon Alley."

Harry hummed.

"What happened to the clothes she bought me? I didn't have the courage to tell her that I wouldn't be able to use them."

"Lord Sirius gave them to Gringotts with an auto-restoring spell so, when you would be taken by the Lestranges, they would be given to Jeremy. So you see the clothes you have right now are the ones that Cousin Lucretia so kindly bought for you."

Harry snorted.

"That man thought of everything, didn't he?"

"Almost everything. Now sleep!"

Harry chuckled against the warm chest but closed his eyes and let his breath even out.

**Thursday, July 9, 1942**

Harry appeared in Tom's time to see the fifteen-year-old boy there waiting for him patiently.

"Hi Tomtom." Harry said with a huge smile.

Tom smiled and approached hugging Harry.

"Hi Serpens. Do you know what day it is today?"

"The Black ball?" Harry asked with a groan.

Tom rolled his eyes.

"Yes, but besides that. What is happening today that is more important than last year?"

Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I thought yesterday was important because we were the same age."

"And today…?" Tom continued, as if wanting for Harry to finish some kind of thought line. Harry limited his response to raising an eyebrow. Tom huffed. "Sometimes you play stupid too many times. I'm older than you now. I'm fifteen. No more 'baby brother' from you from now on. Now I'm the big brother."

Harry snorted.

"You'll always be my baby brother to me."

"Serpens…" Tom groaned.

Harry kissed Tom's forehead.

"I love you, Tom." Tom smiled at that. "I saw your older self."

That peeked Tom's interest. He immediately forgot the previous subject.

"Did you? Do I know that…?"

"We spoke to each other… this will be the second time today. And I can't answer if you know it's me or not. You understand why, don't you?"

Tom nodded.

"I understand… but it's good to know anyway that I'm there for you if you need me."

"You always were there for me, Tom. As a baby brother or as an adult - that doesn't matter."

Tom nodded, a huge smile debouching on his face.

"I must be seeing things. Young Tom Riddle… smiling?"

Harry looked to the door to see Cousin Lucretia there, looking at them with a set of dress robes in her arms. Harry stood at once and bowed his head at the woman.

"Cousin Lucretia."

"Young Serpens? Wow, you haven't aged a year."

"I'm a wizard." Harry replied, making the woman smile. She approached with the robes that she settled on the bed. "Are those for me?" he couldn't help but ask as he saw the clothes.

"Yes of course. You need dress robes for a ball," Lucretia said. "Now dress up and get yourself ready. Everyone is in the ball room already."

Lucretia left the room. Harry sighed as Tom grabbed Harry's dress robes and looked at them.

"They aren't that bad…" the teen taunted. "But then again, you prefer muggle clothes to wizardry ones, don't you?"

Harry gave Tom a look that said it all and took his clothes off.

"Honestly, what was I thinking when I let her decide what I wear? Just look at that! It's silk! I don't wear silk. I have dress robes; I could have taken them with me." Harry exclaimed.

Tom chuckled, his eyes on Harry the whole time.

"You're bargaining, Serpens" he stated. Harry stuck out his tongue at him. Harry pushed the silver trousers from Tom's hand and put them on. "What happened to you?" Harry looked up, confused. "You have scars…"

Harry looked down at his chest and arms.

"Muggles… and wizards." Harry answered with a shrug, because he couldn't quite tell his Tommy that he was the reason for some of them.

Tom hummed. Harry grabbed the silver shirt and put it on. Tom helped with setting it straight.

"One day I'll make it a law saying no one is allowed to touch you," the boy stated as his fingers touched the basilisk-inflicted scars on Harry's arm. Harry snorted. "What? It's true!"

"It's not that, Tom… Jeremy Lestrange once told me that if there wasn't a law about not touching your brother, then there will be." Tom looked at Harry at once, eyes wide. "Yes, I met him as well."

Tom smiled and nodded.

"Here." Tom grabbed the emerald dress robe and helped Harry put it on. Harry looked at Tom as the teen helped to plait Harry's long hair. "What? Do I have something on my face?" the boy asked when he noticed Harry's stare.

Harry shook his head and turned the other way. Tom cared for him. Once a year and Tom was just as hooked on this messy time-traveller relationship as Harry was.

"So… how do I look? Too much, isn't it?" Harry asked, walking away from Tom and showing his clothes to the teen.

Tom snorted, shaking his head.

"You look perfect," theboy said before approaching and composing Harry's robe collar. "If you would let me choose your clothes, trust me, there would be witches jumping and flinging themselves at your feet."

"I don't want witches at my feet. I want to be just me. Nothing great. All I want is to be there for you," Harry argued and Tom's eyes grew wide, startled. "I'm not you, Tom. I don't like fame. Actually, I hate it. All I want is a simple life with you in it." Harry made a disgusted face. "And did that just sound as sappy to you as it did to me?"

Tom laughed and grabbed Harry's face with both his hands, letting his forehead touch Harry's.

"Yes it did," Tom conceded, making Harry snort. "If simple is what you desire, I'll give it to you with the best of my abilities."

Harry nodded, what was odd considering the position they were in. Harry tensed at sensing Tom's head moving down but then, suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Tom stepped away from Harry and the door opened. Regulus was there.

"Sissy!" [B1] the man said with a huge smile.

Harry smiled back.

"Reggy." He said back playfully, making Regulus laugh.

The man approached, passed an arm around Harry's shoulders and started to pull him out of the room.

"You should dress yourself like this more often. You're gorgeous."

"Why, thank you. Now take your hands off me. People will think that you're trying to deflower me." Harry argued, making Regulus laugh good heartedly.

"Now… why would they think that?"

"Because you're flirting with me every time we meet?" Harry argued back, playfully.

The two grinned at each other. Before Harry knew it, he found himself inside the ball room, approaching Lord Sirius Black. The man raised an eyebrow at the playful banter between his son and Harry.

"Lord Sirius." Harry said, bowing.

"Serpens. It's good to see you again. I see you found Regulus." The man added the last part, sending a cold look towards his son.

"Indeed, my Lord. Cousin Regulus couldn't stop himself from going to fetch me." Harry answered, amused.

By Lord Sirius' side was Lady Hesper who smiled at Harry, approaching and rearranging his robes.

"Lady Hesper."

"Serpens." The woman answered with a smile. "Come, dance with me," she added, pulling Harry to the middle of the room. She started to dance with him, even though there was no music playing.

As if on cue, immediately a band - that Harry hadn't seen before - started playing. He could sense every eye on him and tried to hide his lack of dancing lessons with a good enough rhythm.

"Relax," the woman whispered.

"I don't dance," Harry protested between breaths. "Everyone is looking!"

Lady Hesper smiled, amused.

"You're good enough, the way I see it, so relax. If you're tense you're only going to miss your steps more easily."

Harry nodded slightly so no one would see it and made his best efforts to relax.

"Why is everyone looking at us?" he mumbled.

"Because you're the bastard Black son that is also a Gaunt and the reason we took Tom in. No one knows a thing about you… even so, you're a bastard, so normally they would sneer down at you for it. But there is the fact that I, the Lady of the Black family, am taking you to dance. This makes you more important, in my eyes according to them, than any of them. That means that they are forced to look up to you, whether they like it or not."

"Oh… so by dancing with me… you're saving my neck?" he asked as he felt people starting to dance around them.

"That, and because I like you," she added with a smile, making Harry smile back.

"Thank you, my Lady."

**–SYiaS–**

"Come with me…"

Harry heard the words behind his ear. When he looked to see who had spoken, he found Tom grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the ballroom into the gardens of Black Manor.

"Calm down, Tom," Harry said as Tom clenched his hand with a painful grip. "What is it?"

Tom pushed him around the Black house and suddenly they found themselves under the ballroom windows. They could hear the music as if they were in there themselves, but they were still saved from prying eyes by the gardens. Finally, Tom released Harry's hand and turned to Harry, offering his own hand.

"Dance with me," he practically ordered.

Harry frowned at the harsh tone from his teen but he let it pass for now. He accepted the hand.

"If all you wanted was to dance with me, you could have said, you know?" Harry mumbled into Tom's ear as the two danced in each other's arms.

"I don't like the way they look at you," Tom said and Harry was sure that Tom didn't mean to say it out loud.

Harry sighed and stopped moving. He grabbed Tom's head and looked at him dead on.

"Neither do I; I told you that. All I want is not to be noticed. All I want is to be left alone."

"With me," Tom added and Harry nodded.

The intensity in Tom's eyes almost made Harry shiver. Surely he had thought about it… Lord Jeremy hadn't stopped making innuendos about it, even when he didn't intend on it. Even Voldemort had given his own hints… so it was hard not to think about it. Yes, he had accepted he had feelings for the younger version of Voldemort… yes, he had accepted that he would become his parents' killer… but were his feelings the same as Tom's?

"Serpens…" Tom started, but he never quite finished it. It was a question and Harry knew exactly what Tom was going to ask. Even though he was afraid of it… he couldn't help but want it.

Harry nodded. Tom leaned down so he was closer to Harry's height, with Harry's hands still on his cheeks, and his lips found Harry's.

As much as Harry feared this… he had fallen for Tom.

**(TBC)**

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><p>Hi<p>

just like my beta pointed out, Sissy is not seen is a good way. I choose that nickname for another entirely reason. A friend of mine who I fondly call Sissy is the reason why i choose that nickname. So, yes, Riddle-Snape this is for you ^_^

~Isys

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><p>[B1]You might want to change Regulus's nickname for Harry, because sissy has a bit of a bad meaning in English<p>

en(doc)wikipedia(doc)org / wiki / Sissy

Generally, _sissy_ implies a lack of courage, strength, coordination, testosterone, male libido, and stoicism,

* * *

><p>For anyone wondering the ammount of posts, i haven't been writting for a while. I just received my old chapters from my betas<p> 


	14. Chapter XIV –Too Soon–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **

**Warnings in this chapter: **(?)

**Nr words in this chapter: **1,988

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XIV<strong>

**–Too Soon–**

**Monday, July 10, 1995**

Harry shivered as he was transported forth in time to the gardens of Lestrange Manor. Harry let his back fall against the wall and stared away unseeingly. He had just shared his first kiss with Tom… the boy that he had taken in as a brother but that had never really seen Harry as a brother in return. How long had Tom harboured emotions for Harry that were more than brotherly feelings? Had Tom ever seen him as a brother at all or had he always seen him as something more?

Hell! How could Harry even ponder about having feelings for Tom? He would become Voldemort one day. His parents' killer. One thing was accepting the boy as a sibling. Another entirely different was accepting him as a lover.

Lover? Did this mean Harry was gay? That he was in love with Tom? He loved Tom, yes. He had accepted that long ago… but was he in love with him?

"Serpens." Harry looked up to see Voldemort and Nagini approaching. The snake uncoiled from her Master and started to slither alongside him, as Voldemort ran to Harry and hugged him close. "Hush… it's all right."

Harry found that he had tears in his face and hugged the Dark Lord.

"No, it's not all right… I just let a teen that I see as a brother kiss me."

"But it was a boy who never really saw you as a brother," the man argued, making Harry hug him tighter.

**–SYiaS–**

Seeing the teen have a break down because of a kiss he had shared not even a couple hours ago with his younger self was painful.

Yes, for him it had been years, but for Harry it was only days. He had to pass through it all in a couple of hours. Harry had to accept that the boy he had started to like was his parents' killer and still keep a smile in place for Tom's sake. Now he had to accept that while he was away, instead of starting to harbour brotherly feelings, Tom had started to feel something else instead. It hurt to finally learn that Harry hidden how he really felt about Tom from Tom, for his sake. How many more times would he catch Harry crying? How much more had Serpens hid from him?

Voldemort felt the teen in his arms calm down. When he pulled him back, he noticed that Harry had cried himself to sleep. Voldemort picked Harry up bridal style and took him inside, with Nagini by his side. Harry was still hiccupping but he was asleep. Voldemort couldn't help but let his eyes roam down the body on his arms. He had almost forgotten how beautiful Harry had looked in those dress robes.

"My Lord?" Alexa's voice asked. "Is he all right?"

"The person he used to see as a younger brother kissed him on the lips just last night, Alexa. How do you think he is?"

Alexa - smartly - stayed quiet at that and approached Harry's door. She opened it for Voldemort and when they both entered, she pulled down the bed covers so that Voldemort would be able to place Harry on the bed. Voldemort waited for her to leave before he sat the sleeping boy up and changed him into his muggle pyjamas.

Voldemort looked at the scars on Harry's chest in thought. He once used to question what they were all about, but now… now he knew that they were because of the muggles and because of himself. Voldemort looked at Harry's sleeping, peaceful face. How could he be so pure and innocent even after everything Voldemort had made him go through? What was it about Harry, about Serpens, that made him so intriguing to Voldemort?

Voldemort finished changing Harry's clothes and laid him in the bed. He unbraided Harry's hair before he pulled the covers over him and left him with Nagini to sleep.

As he closed the door, the Dark Lord couldn't help but wonder how Harry had managed to defeat him all those times. The sleeping boy seemed like he couldn't even hurt a fly!

**–SYiaS–**

Voldemort looked at Harry when he entered the drawing room. The boy was deep red and was avoiding eye contact with Voldemort at all costs. It didn't surprise Voldemort actually, the teen was very shy, and after Voldemort caught him crying it was natural for him to be this embarrassed.

–Serpens– he called the teen, who still didn't look up. –Harry James Potter!–

Serpens looked at him with a raised eyebrow, making Alexa tense.

–What?–

–Don't ignore me.–

–Am not.– the teen argued and Voldemort raised an eyebrow at the childish display.

–Do you honestly want my younger self to see you behaving like that?–

–Like what?–

–Like a toddler.–

Harry glared back and, as odd as it sounded, it took Voldemort a big effort not to back down. As much as he was the older person now… Harry had still raised him like an older brother. Serpens lowered his face as his shoulders started shaking. Voldemort noticed how Alexa tensed, most likely thinking Harry was crying but Voldemort knew better; Serpens was trying to restrain his laughter.

–Whatever you say, Tommy boy.– Serpens said mischievously. –I wonder what your men would say if they had seen you as a toddler… how was it really? Oh right: '_Sewpens stowy_'.– Serpens looked up with an amused look, through his hair bands. –'_Awe you Petew?_' Oh yes, Wendy, I'm Peter and I've come for you.–

–Tell me, Serpens, between the both of us. Which person is immortal?– Voldemort argued. –Me, so that makes you the Wendy and me the Peter.–

Harry laughed, good heartedly.

–Says the man who tortures and kills for the hell of it.– Serpens argued, amused before turning towards Alexa. –I'm not Wendy. Wendy doesn't come in the middle of the night to Peter's window. I would be more like Tinkerbell, since it's her that takes Peter Pan to Neverland and it was because of me that you started to look for ways to be immortal.–

–Serpens…–

The teen tilted his head to the side, glancing at Voldemort in a way that was innocently irresistible. Voldemort couldn't help but wonder, not for the first time, how someone could be so innocent and so sensual all in one.

–Yes, Tomtom?– the teen asked, and that look should be forbidden. No one should look so irresistible, not even his Serpens. Especially his Serpens - wouldn't other people notice it as well.

–When you return tonight… I will have completed my first murder.– Voldemort said.

There was a moment of silence. Voldemort felt Harry looking at him, as if he was looking into his soul. Were it any other person, Voldemort would have killed them for even making the attempt, but Serpens would always be one of the only exceptions… Besides, as much as Voldemort didn't like to admit this, one of Serpens' appealing parts was that Voldemort felt as if Serpens could read him like an open book – and still Serpens always returned to him. Serpens knew his darkest secrets and never moved away.

Of course, now Voldemort knew the reason why. He also knew how hard a toll it took on Harry, but that didn't matter, because Harry was his Serpens.

–Don't expect me to feel proud about it, because as much as I've accepted that you're a killer… that doesn't mean I'll defend your massacres or terrorism.–

–I'll never expect you to be anyone else but yourself.– Voldemort replied, amused. After all… hadn't Serpens said those same words to him?

**Saturday, July 10, 1943**

"Serpens!"

Harry looked up as Tom approached him from the other side of the room. He pulled Harry from his seating place on Tom's bed to his own feet and hugged Harry tight.

"Hi, Tom." Harry mumbled, hugging Tom back.

A hand moved to the back of Harry's head and before Harry could react - he got kissed. Harry tensed, pulling Tom from him in reaction. Tom raised an eyebrow in question and Harry sighed, letting his forehead rest on Tom's.

"Is there anything wrong, Serpens? Am I being too forward?"

Harry blushed, closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Tomtom. I just…"

"You still see me as that baby you helped feed sixteen years ago." Tom said.

"Sorry."

Tom shook his head.

"No, don't be. It might be years for me but its days for you. I should have thought about it first." Harry opened his eyes when Tom grabbed his face with both hands, and saw Tom smiling down at him. "It's my fault, really. Don't worry; I'll wait for you to love me as I love you. And if you never do, then we'll stay as siblings."

Harry nodded.

"When did you become so smart?" he couldn't help but ask.

"What, I'm sixteen now. I'm allowed to be smarter than you." Tom argued with a mock pout making both him and Harry laugh. "I missed you."

Harry smiled back.

"I would say I missed you as well, but honestly my missing can't come close to yours."

"No it can't. I have to wait a whole year for you. You only have to wait several hours."

"Although I come back every year to an older and improved Tom."

"Did you just called me 'improved'?" Tom asked with a raised eyebrow, amused.

"I did, now don't let it go over that big head of yours. If it grows bigger, you won't be able to keep standing."

Tom chuckled.

"I've heard my Slytherin colleagues use that line several times between themselves, but I've never understood why they laughed to it… with you… things just seem to come naturally."

Harry smiled and looked around the room. It looked a lot like the last time, maybe with a couple of books more. Harry approached Tom's desk while Tom stayed by the bed, and looked at the books Tom had over there.

"Sixth-year books?" he asked to which Tom hummed affirmatively. "Tom Riddle's diary…" Harry mumbled as he picked the leather book and felt it as it sang to him.

"Serpens…" Tom's voice seemed a hitch higher than it usually was, as if he was afraid.

Harry turned and showed Tom the diary.

"If I were you, I would protect it well. You might never know what basilisk blood can do to these things," he added throwing Tom the leather book.

Tom looked at the diary and then to Harry, wide-eyed.

"You know what this is?"

Harry nodded and looked at the other books on the desk.

"How?"

"You want to be immortal so you can wait for me, forever."

"Serpens, I…"

"Don't ever go down there again. Basilisks are not sweet things." Harry interrupted and Tom's eyes grew. He nodded breathily. Harry smiled. "Good. Now… what are you going to do when you became of age?"

"I… I intend on looking for the founders' items." Harry hummed inquisitively and Tom approached, opening one of the books. He showed Harry a picture of the Hogwarts founders. "Salazar Slytherin: a necklace. Helena Huflepuff: a cup. Rowena Ravenclaw: a tiara. And finally, Godric Gryffindor: a sword," the teen said, pointing to each object as he mentioned them.

Harry hummed running a finger by the Gryffindor's sword.

"Why look for them?"

"It's my inheritance… I'm one of the founders' heir after all." Tom replied and Harry glanced at him. "Besides I have to have something to do while I wait for you to be born…"

Harry snorted.

"Yeah… right…"

**(TBC)**


	15. Chapter XV –Adoption Papers–

**Beta:** budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **TR/HP

**Warnings in this chapter: **adoption, mention of child abuse, mention of atempted murder, different povs

**Nr words in this chapter: **3,750

* * *

><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XV<strong>

**–Adoption Papers–**

**Tuesday, July 11, 1995**

Harry sat on his bed after he had returned to his own time. He was such a horrible older brother. How could he let things go this far? They were supposed to be siblings… and nothing more! How could things have turned out like this? When had Tom started to harbour these kind of feelings? Why hadn't Harry seen it? Why hadn't Lord Sirius talked to him about this?

–Serpens.– Harry looked at the door to see Nagini entering alone.

–Where's Tom?–

–He said that he had something in Gringotts that he had to get back. Master said that it was important. Master left me sleeping alone.– the snake whined angrily.

Harry frowned. Gringotts? What could Voldemort have in Gringotts that was important?

**–SYiaS–**

Voldemort arrived Lestrange Manor as fast as he could. Merlin-damned goblins and all of their bureaucracy! Because of them he was only able to get back after Serpens had returned from the past.

The Dark Lord went to his room to fetch Nagini. She already wasn't there, so he went to Harry's room. And there they were; both on the bed. Nagini sleeping and Serpens lying with his eyes open, looking at the ceiling and petting her sleeping body.

Voldemort entered and the sound made the teen glance at him. The Dark Lord approached the bed and sat next to him, before taking a box from his pocket and enlarging it. Harry sat, looking at it confused.

"I'm too old for this now" he said offering the teen the rectangular box. Serpens picked it up and opened the lid. In it was the plush snake that he had once given the younger toddler Tom all those years ago. "I can't repay you for what I did to your parents. There isn't a thing in the world that would be enough to make up for the sacrifice you paid. But when you're older we could adopt a child. One that would actually see you as a father and nothing more. One that you would help raise 24/7, instead of a few hours once a year. Understand that I couldn't have ever had the familial relationship you wanted with me and understand why."

Serpens smiled and nodded at Voldemort.

"I think I would like that."

Voldemort smiled and leaned down, kissing Harry's forehead before standing.

"Good. Now sleep. It's past bed-time for you."

Serpens looked down at the plush snake that he had once given to the toddler Tom, that was now in his arms, and then up to Voldemort who was walking out of the room.

"The other day, you promised to tell me more about my parents."

Voldemort stopped and looked back at the teenager on the mattress.

"I did," he conceded, "and, when you wake, I promise to tell you all there is to know about James Charlus Potter and Lily Rose Evans."

Voldemort waited until Serpens laid down on the bed, still holding the plush snake in his arms. Nagini surrounded him. Only when his breath evened out did Voldemort turn around and leave. Who would have ever thought that the teen he had fallen for… was the same one he had tried to kill one-too-many-times in the past fifteen years.

"My Lord…" Voldemort looked up from the parchment he was reading - about the new policies the idiot Minister had created and forced upon his Wizardry World - towards Lucius, who was entering. "I'm afraid I bring bad news."

"What is it, Lucius?"

"Dumbledore has managed to persuade Mrs Bones from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement that Mr Potter hasn't been adopted in accordance with the correct proceedings. Minister Fudge has just mentioned to me that there is a meeting currently happening between Mrs Tonks, Mrs Lovegood and Mrs Bones about who is best qualified to take Mr Potter in."

Voldemort sneered, looking sideways towards the door before back again towards Lucius.

"Warn Jeremy so he can get his case ready. I'm going to wake Harry."

Lucius bowed and left. Voldemort sighed and stood. He didn't like the sound of this at all.

**–SYiaS–**

Harry opened his eyes slowly, only to see Voldemort in his bedroom. The man was sitting on the bedsheets, facing Harry.

"Is it late?" Harry asked huskily. He was just so tired…

"It's early. You need to go to the Ministry with Jeremy. Dumbledore is trying to regain control over you from the Lestranges."

Harry groaned. Of course he was. He stood tiredly and changed to the clothes Voldemort had already set up for him.

"Hmm…" Harry turned towards Voldemort as the man finished straightening Harry's clothes. "Won't people ask about my many differences in appearance? Isn't _this_" at this Harry pointed at his clothes and hair, "what Serpens looks like?"

There was a silence as Voldemort took in what Harry was trying to say. Finally the man passed his hand through Harry's hair and watched it return to the length it had been before.

"There, back to the old way." Voldemort said. His words were so detached and his eyes were so distant. Harry felt as if he had punched the Dark Lord by returning to the way he'd been before. He opened his mouth to speak but… "You need to go, Harry."

Harry turned to leave but stopped. He turned around and approached Voldemort with a hug. This may be his parents' killer… but he also was his Tommy.

**–SYiaS–**

Sirius waved his tail, watching Harry arrive with the Lestranges. He could easily see that Harry was better dressed and fed. In a couple of days they had already managed to teach Harry to act _'pureblood-like'_ as Sirius liked to call it. But, besides that, Harry looked happier than when he had left Hogwarts. The Lestranges had done some good. A look at his Cousin Andromeda told him that he wasn't the only one who had noticed the difference in Harry's aspect.

"Shall we start?" Madame Bones asked. "Now that the adoptive parents have finally arrived with the child in question." The woman added with a pointed look at Dumbledore.

Sirius almost laughed. Dumbledore hadn't wanted the Lestranges to know that there was a debate at all. Looking at Harry told Sirius that they had already won.

Lady Lestrange sat on a chair and motioned for Harry to sit by her side. Only then did the teen sit. Lord Lestrange stood behind the two in a way that was parental. Yep, Harry had definitely been being taught etiquette lessons. Sirius approached the trio and sat at Harry's feet. He put his head on his godson's knees. Harry immediately scratched the back of his ears.

"It has come to my knowledge that Mr Potter was adopted without first passing by the godparents' closest relatives' law." Madam Bones started.

"I'm sorry, Madam Bones, but I'll have to disagree." Lord Lestrange argued. When Madam Bones nodded, he continued. "As you may remember, last year Young Harry was put into a tourney that only over age students could attend. With the permission of his Magical Mentor of the time, Albus Dumbledore, and the Minister himself, by so with the agreement of these two Lords of families, they made him overage. Young Harry had to have been emancipated before he could enter this tournament. There is no way that this law has any effect on Young Harry any longer, because he is an adult under the Wizardry Law."

Madam Bones hummed. Sirius could smell Dumbledore tensing.

"I'm afraid you are right then, Lord Jeremy. This means that only Young Potter himself can decide who he wants to stay with. Potter, this is Andromeda Tonks, your Godfather's Cousin. And this is Augusta Longbottom, your Godmother's Mother-in-law. Madam Longbottom has a grandson your age." Harry nodded. "With whom would you prefer to stay with?"

Harry looked at the two women and then down at Sirius; who licked his fingers, trying to tell him that he didn't mind.

"Lord Jeremy and Lady Alexa." Harry mumbled loud enough to be heard.

"May I ask why? Lord and Lady Lestrange don't have children your age and the ones they have are now in Azkaban. Mrs Tonks has a daughter, who is around 7 years older than you, and Lady Longbottom has a grandson your age. Wouldn't you be more at home with one of them?"

Harry bit the bottom of his lip. Finally, he looked up at the woman with a determined look.

"Why would I go to the place of a Cousin I never met before? Why would I go to the place of a Lady that keeps telling her grandson he is not good enough? That he is a disgrace?" Lady Longbottom choked on her words. She looked outraged. "Lord and Lady Lestrange have saved me from death at the hands of my own flesh and blood. They have fed me, given me a bed and dressed me. They are even teaching me etiquette and how to be the heir of the family that I am. They have given me more than my own family has. I lived in a cupboard under the stairs until the day of my first letter from Hogwarts - which was addressed to my cupboard. My family was scared, so they changed my room, but the letters kept being sent. I was my family's house elf, and no I'm not making this up. It's the truth. I only had a right to eat if I finished cleaning and gardening first. I was given my Cousin's second handed clothes, I was given the toys that my Cousin had broken and didn't want anymore, I was given scraps of the food that they didn't manage to eat if I was a good enough boy… I choose the Lestranges, Madam."

There was a dead silence in the room until, finally, Lady Lestrange pulled Harry to herself and hugged him.

"Your parents…" Dumbledore started.

Harry huffed, releasing himself from the motherly hug and turning to the Headmaster.

"My parents are dead, not me. I don't know them and I never did. All my muggle family ever told me about them was that my Dad was a 'drunk addict' who got himself and my 'whore of a mother' killed in a car accident, and in this same accident I got my famous scar. I didn't even know I was famous until my 11th birthday. Hagrid had to take me away by force from my family who didn't want to let me enter the Wizardry World."

"What?" everyone in the room shouted.

"My Uncle said he swore when I entered their care, that he would stamp the nonsense out of me. That I wouldn't become 'one of them'."

"Hagrid, as in Rubeus Hagrid, who was the groundskeeper of Hogwarts and not a lecturing professor at the time, who didn't have the right to hold a wand, took you out of your Uncles' house without their approval on your 11th birthday and introduced you to the Wizardry World? And to being famous?" Harry nodded. "Lord Lestrange, if you would please stay. Lady Lestrange, you may take your son with you home." Lady Lestrange nodded and stood with Harry to leave. Sirius made a move to follow. "Oh… Lady Lestrange, do you have any issues with pet dogs? Apparently Mr Potter has two familiars."

Lady Lestrange stopped by the door and looked down at Sirius before glancing at her husband.

"But of course not, Madam Bones. Harry is welcome to have the pets he wants and to bring the visitors he wants." She turned then to Harry. "You should've warned me earlier, Harry. We would have arranged it's retrieval sooner. What is it named?"

"Sirius, in loving memory of my godfather who was wrongly accused, my Lady." Harry answered.

Sirius had to hide his chuckle at hearing that. He limited to wave his tail at _'his name being said'_. The three left the room and, just before they closed the door, Sirius heard:

"Mrs Tonks, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"Not at all, Madam Bones." At this Andromeda stood and followed them outside.

As they started to hear another set of chairs, Madam Bones spoke again.

"No, Lady Longbottom, you're staying in here. I want to speak with you about the accusations that Heir Potter just made. And, Headmaster, I want to speak with you about the accusations of being the boy's magical mentor and never teaching him or even making sure he was being taken care of."

Sirius saw Harry turn and enter again.

"Madam Bones?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"I asked to be let out of the Dursleys before my third year… when I accidentally inflated my Uncle's sister?"

Madam Bones nodded.

"I remember the situation. Why wasn't I informed of this?"

"Because Minister Fudge himself told me to return to my muggle family. Because of the _'mass murderer_' Sirius Black on the loose… He called me a liar couple of weeks ago and now every newspaper is badmouthing my name."

Madam Bones nodded.

"I will speak this with Lord Lestrange, rest assured."

Harry nodded, bowed like the _'heir'_ that he was –Sirius resisted the instant urge to throw up – and turned around, leaving and closing the door behind himself.

"Lady Lestrange, I know you don't approve of my husband and my daughter, but could I at least visit Heir Harry? I would really appreciate being granted the honour of getting to know him."

"Let me speak with my husband first. Could I have your fireplace address? So that I may contact you back? Or would I have to contact you through your Auror daughter?" Sirius watched as Andromeda wrote something on a parchment quickly. "But I'm certain that if he'll approve of it, both you and your Daughter will be welcomed. Although…"

Andromeda smiled.

"Do not worry. My husband vowed to never enter a Pureblood Manor again."

Lady Lestrange nodded and turned towards Harry.

"Shall we?"

The two of them left. Sirius followed them.

**–SYiaS–**

Harry arrived home and took Sirius to his bedroom. The man turned back into a human and hugged him immediately.

"Harry… had I known…"

Harry nodded.

"Look… try not to freak out, okay?"

"Why?"

"Promise you won't freak out." Sirius opened his mouth but Harry beat him to it. "Magical vow, Sirius Orion Black."

Sirius narrowed his eyes.

"I, Sirius Orion Black, promise on my magic that I won't freak out or do anything stupid in response to what my godson and family heir, Harry James Potter, is about to tell me. So mote it be."

"So mote it be." Harry replied back, before taking a deep breath. "Voldemort is here." Sirius' eyes grew. He was about to leave the room, but Harry grabbed him. "He promised not to hurt me if I promised to stay out of the war… I was forced into this war, Sirius. I don't want to fight… I just…"

Sirius stopped and he understood, sighing.

"I understand, kiddo. I can't promise I won't do something stupid if I see him, but if I don't pass by him, I suppose I can live with him in the same house… Besides he only gave you free reign, not me or Andro."

Harry nodded.

"That's why Lady Alexa is right now speaking with him."

**Tuesday, July 11, 1944**

"Lord Sirius, where are we heading?" Tom asked, following his family Lord.

He looked at the sun every couple of minutes. It was almost time. In a couple of hours Serpens would visit him. If he wasn't careful, he would be too tired to handle the whole night.

"Little Hangleton, your ancestor's hometown." Only years kept Tom from reacting at the information. He looked at the shed up ahead, surely Lord Sirius couldn't mean… "Your uncle Morfin lives in here alone. And I hear your Father and his ancestors lives in the Manor down the road. Riddle Manor, I recall it is called."

Tom nodded, not showing what he really felt inside. He wondered why Lord Sirius had chosen this day. This day to show that to him.

"Lord Sirius…"

"You're 17 now. You are free to do as you so wish." Tom glanced at the Lord, who smiled back. "Try not to bleed on the robes, I don't think my wife would've agreed much with that… or your brother for that matter. Although considering the fact you two don't act like siblings anymore; should I call him your lover instead?"

Tom smiled amused.

"I was going to tell you, sir."

"Did you really think I wouldn't approve? My own son is homosexual and you don't see me forcing him to wed some witch just for the family name, do you?" Lord Sirius belittled.

"Cousin Regulus isn't the heir of the family, so his adventures may be excused. However, I am the heir of my own family and should continue the line."

Lord Sirius hummed, stopping by the door of the shed.

"Had I wanted you to wed a pureblood witch; you would have already been in an engaged marriage, rest assured. My children, siblings and nephews may not approve of my decision, but you are free to make your own choice… Actually, it's a good thing you've already set your eyes on someone. My nephew Pollux has been bothering me for a while about you marrying his daughter Walburga." Tom didn't quite manage to control his sneer at the thought of marrying cousin Walburga. Lord Sirius laughed. "My thoughts exactly. Sadly enough, he managed to persuade my son Arcturus to wed her to Orion instead."

Tom hummed. That would make Walburga the future Lady of the Black family then, something Pollux could never be unless all the heirs died first…

"You are not coming in?" Tom asked. Lord Sirius shook his head with a smile. "May I wonder why?"

"As far as I know, you and I never left Black Manor. You are in your room taking a nap, waiting for your brother/lover arrive, while I am taking care of some paperwork in my office." Lord Sirius said. He turned around and walked away. "See you in an hour?" the man finished, before apparating, no doubt to his office.

Tom looked at the shed and entered.

**–SYiaS–**

Harry looked at the sleeping teen on the bed. It looked like Tom had taken a nap in order to handle staying awake through the night with Serpens. Harry sighed, moving the boy's hair out of his face with a smile. He was growing quickly, so quickly.

"Serpens?" Tom mumbled groggily.

Harry smiled amused at the teen's tone of voice.

"Yes, Tommy. I'm here."

"How long have you been watching me?" the young male asked, grabbing Harry's. The sneaky teenager pulled him down onto the bed with him, so that they were lying side by side.

Harry yelped as he was pulled down, but let himself go with the motion. It felt good to be there with Tom.

"Not long."

"Give me your hand."

"You haven't even opened your eyes, and why?"

Tom opened his eyes and Harry felt like the other could see into his own soul. Tom grabbed Harry's hand and the youngest felt something being put around his finger. Looking down from the blood-red eyes of his Tom, he found a ring on his finger.

"Wh…" Harry looked up towards Tom confused. "I thought we had talked about this…"

"You gave me a plush so I wouldn't forget you. This way you'll always carry me around with you, Serpens. That's the Gaunt's ring. Slytherin's last bloodline."

Harry frowned looking at the ring again.

"Why this finger?" he asked looking up towards Tom.

"What's wrong with that finger?" Tom asked innocently.

Harry would've believed him, if it weren't for the fact that Tom's eyes were already turning red-blood like his future self…

"This is the lover's ring finger." Harry argued.

"I know."

"Tom…"

Harry gasped as he was pulled to the other's chest and an arm surrounded him. Tom grabbed the back of Harry's neck and used his hand to keep him in place, as a mouth attached to his.

"I love you, Serpens. No one else will have the honour of having that ring but you… you didn't even hesitate when you saw that my eye colour's changed, why are you fighting a ring? It's just a ring. This way, I'll know no one in the future will try anything with you."

Harry sighed, letting his head fall on Tom's chest.

"I love you too, Tom." Harry couldn't believe this was happening. Why was his life so messed up? Why couldn't he have a simple life? Why…

"Just not the way I do." Tom agreed, hugging him and holding him close.

**–SYiaS–**

Tom looked at the ceiling in silence as Serpens cried into his chest, grabbing unto his robes with all his strength. Serpens was his. Did the other really think he would just give up on him and marry some pureblood witch during his absence?

"Okay that's enough, love birds." Tom groaned, sitting up with Serpens still on his chest, to glare at the wizard by the bedroom door. "Sissy, can't believe you entered the Manor and didn't even come to tell me hello."

Serpens leaned back just enough to clean his face. He looked at Tom who quickly and efficiently cleaned his face and glasses magically. Then Harry turned and smiled at cousin Regulus.

"Hi, Reggy. It's been a while."

Tom didn't like it. He didn't like how easy and how quick Serpens was to smile at cousin Regulus. Primarily because, just a minute earlier he had been crying because of Tom. Tom just didn't like it at all! That smile should be his, only his. Only he should have that smile. Serpens was his. Only his!

**(TBC)**


	16. Chapter XVI –First Job–

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of the characters from the books or movies, they belong to J. K. Rowling. I also do not make any money from the writing of this story.

**Beta: **budchick

**Pairing/s in this chapter: **Harry Potter/Tom Marvolo Riddle, Harry Potter/Voldemort

**Warnings in this chapter: **slash

**Nr words in this chapter: **1,669

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><p>"Talking"<p>

'Thinking'

-Parseltongue-

_Dream/Memory/Letter/Journal/Book/Newspaper_

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><p><strong>Chapter XVI<strong>

**–First Job– **

**Wednesday, July 12, 1995**

Sirius frowned as he looked all over the Manor. He couldn't find his godson anywhere. If he wasn't careful, he would end up in the Dark Lord's wing, but right now he didn't care. He had to find him. He really did. Where was his godson in this Azkaban-like place? Where had Voldemort put his godson?

Sirius sniffed the air again, only to smell him. His godson… Sirius started running. How had Harry just suddenly appeared in his bedroom? Sirius hadn't smelled him entering the Manor, neither had he smelled him leave… were portkeys allowed inside the Manor? Sirius approached the bedroom and stopped by the door, only to smell another scent. Wha…

He turned and opened the bedroom slowly, peeking inside. Inside was a huge snake, lying on his godson's bed. Standing next to the bed were two people. One of them was holding the younger person close to his chest and running his fingers through his long hair .

"Serpens…"

"Why are you being so over possessive? Regulus is just a friend. Nothing else."

"I'm aware, however…"

"No buts, Tom. I don't like Regulus in the kind of special way that you're thinking about. He is a friend and nothing else… stop worrying so much!"

Sirius' eyes grew as in that moment his godson stood on the tip of his toes, pulled the Dark Lord's face down, and pecked him on the lips.

**Thursday, July 12, 1945**

Harry was transported to the past with a frown. What was biting Sirius? He had spent the whole day looking at Harry as if he had grown a second head…

"Welcome back, Serpens."

Harry looked up and grinned at seeing Tom. He was using glamour on his eyes - but he looked good. As Harry stood, Tom diminished the space between them, and hugged Harry hard. Harry looked up at Tom and sighed. He put a hand over the other's head and pulled him down into a kiss. Tom frowned, surprised at the kiss, but he was quick to respond. Before Harry knew it, he was up against the wall, pinned entirely by Tom's body. Finally Tom leaned back.

"Sorry… I wasn't intending on losing control like that."

Harry nodded, not arguing.

"It… it's okay," Tom looked at Harry, surprised. Harry blushed. "I mean… you can kiss me."

Tom smiled and leaned down, kissing Harry again. When he moved back, he had to hold onto Harry as he lost control over his legs. Harry blushed ten shades of red as Tom smirked at his reaction.

"So… you accept me," Harry nodded, making Tom pull him into a bone-breaking hug. "It's about time… I've been waiting for this for years."

"Oh… I'm sorry. It's been just a few days for me in case you've forgotten."

Tom smiled.

"I haven't, my Serpens, I haven't."

Harry sighed, as Tom sat him on the bed.

"Are we going to stay up all night locked in your room?"

Tom hummed thoughtfully and Harry glared back.

"Don't worry. We won't stay all day in our room. I want you to see my new workplace… it isn't anything special, but I'd like you to see it." Harry nodded. "Besides it doesn't matter if it's fancy or not, one day it will be enough for me to find all the Founders' items…" at this Tom grabbed Harry's hand where the ring was and kissed it.

"Wha… what does Lord Sirius thinks of…?"

"He doesn't approve of course. He's been yelling in every possible place imaginable about why I can't find decent work yet…"

"I was talking about us, silly. Nagini already told me about that in the future."

Tom's eyes grew and he turned to Harry, before smiling widely.

"Nagini? She's still…" Harry nodded. "Good. I would've missed her."

Harry laughed, unable to control himself.

"Trust me when I tell you that there will be times where you'll feel like shipping her off!"

Tom laughed as well, the laugh that Harry loved so much. Not the cold laugh that Tom-in-the-diary had. But the one he'd fallen for from when Tom had still only been a child…

"When she does that, I just tell her that Winky has a large amount of bunnies waiting for her… and I warn the house elf so she really has them and don't end up being a meal instead."

Harry snorted.

"That won't work forever, Tomtom."

"Good to know. When I'm older I'll just ship her off to you," Tom frowned at seeing Harry's grin. "You're the reason she picks on me in future, aren't you?"

"No idea what you're talking about, Tommyboy!"

Tom grumbled under his breath, making Harry smile even more at the '_human'_ reaction of his lover.

"You'll be the death of me one day."

Harry choked back a laugh at the irony. If only he knew the accuracy of what he'd just said…

**–SYiaS–**

Harry looked around the shop, unsure. So Tom worked here?

"You've been here before?" Harry glanced at Tom and then nodded. "Bad memories?" Harry nodded again. Tom hummed and looked around in thought. "What about some light reading?"

Tom guided Harry to a bookshelf. Harry looked at them and then at Tom with a raised eyebrow.

"Light reading? As in it's light or it's Light?" he asked, pointing to the tomes.

Tom limited himself to a small smile.

"Just try it. It's a book you pick it up and you open it. You see these little drawings? They're called words, they're meant for you to read!"

"Ah ah ah." Harry laughed dryly. "Remind me again, who was it that used to read to you?"

"My big brother."

"And who am I?"

Tom pulled Harry to himself and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"My lover," He hissed, barely sweeping the words from English to Parseltongue.

Harry rolled his eyes and looked around, only for his eyes to widen. Was that…?

Tom followed his eyes, and saw a family entering the shop. He glanced at Harry with a raised eyebrow - Harry gave him the go ahead. Immediately, Tom walked over to the pureblood family. The teenager kept looking back at Harry, unsure. Harry wondered if he'd seen the kiss. Bloody hell… that was the younger self of Lord Jeremy! Knowing that he'd be around here and actually meet him… Until now he could pretend that Future Tom wasn't old… but hell - Tom was the same age as Lord Jeremy… they were old enough to be his grandparents… or older if what Lady Alexa had told him was true…

Harry turned to the bookshelf. Right… read… focus… don't break anything… _'too late'_ his thought when he heard the chandelier break and fall. Harry picked the first book he found and pretended to read.

**–SYiaS–**

Tom approached Serpens as soon as he was certain the Lestranges were well, in order to check on his lover. He saw the teenager reading a dark book upside down. Losing control over your magic, at this age? Really?

He picked the book and turned it up the right way before returning it to Serpens' hands. Serpens attempted not to blush and failed.

"You'll be on cleaning duty. I'm in enough trouble as it is," he pointed out to which Serpens sent him an _'I'm sorry' _look.

"I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" Tom shook his head, looking to the others. His boss was busy boot-licking, trying to apologise to the Lestranges for what had just happened. Luckily, the wizard hadn't realized it had been Serpens. Not that Tom would let him touch his Serpens, but even so… "I don't like your boss." Tom turned to Serpens with surprise. "He freaks me out."

Tom smiled.

"He gets the job done so…"

"Or you get the job done for him." Serpens argued and Tom smirked back. "Is there anything more… grey?"

Tom nodded and returned the book to the shelf, before looking for more grey-orientated books. He might prefer darker tomes for himself, but he knew that Serpens wasn't like him. He was as light as it could be… as much as he argued about it with him, he had to admit to himself that if Serpens was any darker, he'd never had taken Tom in the way he had and Tom would've never been attracted to him. So, some '_bad'_ things for some '_good'_ ones.

"Here. Are you going to tell me what made you freak out?"

"That's Jeremy Lestrange, right?" Tom nodded. "Let's just say that I just got a wakeup call on how old you really are."

Tom frowned and looked at his former classmate, who was looking back confused. Serpens had obviously met Jeremy in the future. And Jeremy looked his age while Tom didn't… well at least, he knew that his Horcruxes would keep him well.

"Does Jeremy have children?" Serpens nodded. "Grandchildren?" Serpens shook his head. "Why not?"

"At least until my timeline - his children have yet to have children of their own." Serpens replied, not sure what to say.

Time-travel disturbances. Tom hated when he couldn't just make Serpens speak unguarded and truthfully. He wanted to know about Serpens' life. Not because of the future – although it would've been good to know – but to know about Serpens himself.

"Do I look younger than I look?" he couldn't help but ask.

Serpens choked at that.

"I'm sorry, it's nothing personal… let's just say you have no wrinkles. Plus red eyes."

Red eyes… that explained why Serpens hadn't freaked out when he'd seen Tom's true eye colour. Even so, what he'd told Tom was nothing that he hadn't suspected anymore. It only proved what he knew already.

"Tom?" Tom hummed. "Do we have to stay here?"

Tom looked at his boss and then at Serpens, nodding.

"Would you like a drink?"

"Ice cream sounds nice." Serpens agreed.

Tom nodded, deeply amused, and took him out and into an ice cream parlour. Why didn't it surprise him that Serpens had a sweet tooth?

**(TBC)**

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><p>Hi, new cover by yume jin (link on summary)<p> 


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